Tea Board's mobile operation sentences tea trader in Tetulia to one month in prison

A mobile court has sentenced a tea trader in Tetulia Upazila of Panchagarh to one month in prison on charges of packaging fake tea and illegally selling it. At the same time, a large amount of illegal tea and various equipment used in packaging tea were seized.

The operation was conducted on Monday (January 26) at an establishment called "Hotel Barabilla and Kacha Pata Tea House" in Tetulia Union No. 3 of Tetulia Upazila. The operation found that the establishment was illegally packaging and selling tea using fake packaging of various renowned brands of the country, including 'Bangladesh Tea', without the approval of the Bangladesh Tea Board.

In this incident, the mobile court found the owner of the establishment, Md. Hafizur Rahman (50), guilty and sentenced him to one month in prison. About 45 kg of black tea, 7 kg of green tea, 12 kg of fake empty tea packets, a sealer machine and a mobile phone were seized in the operation.

This day-long mobile court was conducted by the Bangladesh Tea Board with the help of the district administration. Such drives are being conducted at various tea business establishments and botleaf tea factories in Panchagarh district with the aim of preventing illegal tea business, irregularities in the tea sector and government revenue evasion.

In this regard, Executive Magistrate of the mobile court and Deputy Secretary of the Bangladesh Tea Board, Mosammat Sabina Yasmin, said,
“Business is being conducted illegally without a license from the Tea Board. In addition, some unscrupulous traders are selling tea in different parts of the country by copying the packaging of various renowned brands including ‘Bangladesh Tea’. Regular operations are being conducted to prevent these irregularities and will continue in the future.”

During the operation, Bangladesh Tea Board Member (Finance and Commerce) Yasmin Parveen Tibriji, Development Officer Md. Amir Hossain, Land Control Officer Didarul Moula, Marketing Officer Ahsan Habib, Public Relations Officer Md. Rajibul Hasan and police members of Tetulia Police Station were present.