A Based Panchagarh Correspondent: Bangladesh Tea Board, Panchagarh Regional Office conducted a drive and imposed a fine of Tk 220,000 on two factories in Panchagarh, Maitree Tea Industries and North Bengal Tea Industries. In addition, 90 bags of tea were seized from the offices of three courier services on charges of illegal transportation.

Bangladesh Tea Board Deputy Secretary and Mobile Court Judge Sabina Yasmin imposed the fine on Monday afternoon. Tea Board Statistics Officer Afrida Yasmin, Scientific Officer Selina Akhter, Regional Officer Arif Khan, Development Officer Amir Hossain, Customs Superintendent Moniruzzaman and members of Panchagarh Sadar Police Station were present at the time.

The Regional Tea Board source said that the tea processing factories in Panchagarh have been committing various irregularities including processing and producing tea in unhygienic conditions and selling tea outside the auction market by evading TexVAT. As part of the regular campaign conducted by the Bangladesh Tea Board Regional Office, Panchagarh against these irregularities, the expansion of Maitree Tea Industries and the amount of tea produced and sent for auction were found to be inconsistency. As a result, the factory was fined two lakh taka according to the Bangladesh Tea Act-2016. In addition, a fine of 20 thousand taka was imposed on the North Bengal Tea Industries for processing tea in unhygienic conditions under the Consumer Rights Act. In addition, 90 bags of tea were seized by raids on Sundarban Courier Service, Karatoya Courier Service and AJR Courier Service for illegally transporting them.

Bangladesh Tea Board Regional Office Panchagarh Senior Development Officer Md. Arif Khan said, “We are conducting regular campaigns in cooperation with the district administration against various irregularities to maintain the quality of tea production in Panchagarh district. If any factory illegally transports tea and violates the tea law, strict action will be taken