12-member panel formed to revive tea industry

The government has formed a 12-member monitoring and advisory committee, headed by the Commerce Minister, to support the development of Bangladesh’s tea industry and address key financial and policy issues facing the sector.

The Prime Minister’s Office issued a gazette notification forming the committee today, with the decision taking immediate effect.

The committee has been tasked with reviewing a range of measures aimed at strengthening the tea sector, including loan restructuring, financing support and policy reforms.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce will serve as the member-secretary of the committee.
The committee includes the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Governor of Bangladesh Bank, and secretaries of the Land, Finance, Commerce and Agriculture ministries.

The chairmen of the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Tea Board and Bangladesh Tea Association are also members, alongside representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangladesh Tea Research Institute, tea traders, plantation and traders’ associations and other related stakeholders. According to the gazette notification, the committee will recommend rescheduling and providing fresh loans to tea garden owners to help them repay their existing loans.