April 15, 2025
MOULVIBAZAR – While the recent rains have caused disruptions in many parts of the country, they have brought welcome relief to Bangladesh’s tea-growing heartland.
The showers are expected to give a vital boost to tea production by rejuvenating mature plants and supporting the growth of young seedlings. Sreemangal — widely regarded as the tea capital of the country — recorded the highest rainfall in Sylhet division over the past three days.
Md Anisur Rahman, in charge of the Sreemangal Meteorological Observatory, said the region usually receives 15-20mm of rain during this time of year. “It rained on the night of April 10, some on April 11, and again yesterday morning,” he said.
The full tally for April is yet to be compiled.
Compared to 48mm of rainfall in March last year, this year only 4mm was recorded. The region had seen virtually no rainfall in the past five months.
Dr Rafiqul Haque, director of the Tea Board’s Project Development Unit, said the rainfall would keep moisture in the soil for 15 to 20 days, encouraging early bud growth. “With the help of rain, the pruned branches will sprout buds early. This will support early leafing and ultimately improve production for the new season,” he said.
He also pointed out that rainwater, rich in nitrogen, is particularly beneficial for tea nurseries. “This is good news not only for this year’s crop but also for the next generation of plants. We will start seeing the real benefits of this rain over the next three to four years.”
Pranesh Goala, chairman of Kalighat Union in Sreemangal upazila, said, “This rain was much needed. Many gardens don’t have reservoirs or proper irrigation. The absence of shade trees worsened the impact of the drought.”
He said pest infestations had increased during the dry spell.
Nipen Paul, general secretary of the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union central committee, said the rain also helped prevent diseases and leaf reddening, common during dry spells.
Managers and industry insiders expressed similar optimism.
Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, manager of Shirajnagor Tea Garden, said, “The soil was bone dry, so we had to rely on irrigation. But two days of rain have been more beneficial than all that effort. The tea trees had a rough appearance after trimming, but the sudden rain has brought them back to life.”
Bangladesh currently has 167 registered tea estates, 92 of which are located in Moulvibazar. The Bangladesh Tea Board has set a production target of 102 million kilogrammes for 2025.