Jasmine selected best green tea leaf harvester by picking 34,937 -kg in a year
M. S. Akash, Fatikchhari (Chittagong)
Jasmine Akhter, a 60-year-old woman. She has been selected as the country's best tea leaf harvester for two consecutive times.
Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin presented her with the award at the National Tea Day ceremony in Dhaka on May 21. She presented various demands of tea workers to the government.
It is mentioned that Jasmine Akhter finally retained the honor of winning first place in the competition held at the Halda Valley Tea Garden by picking (lifting) 13 kg of tea leaves in 30 minutes.
It is learnt that she was introduced to tea plants mainly through her husband. At the age of 16, she moved from Comilla to Neptune Tea Garden in Fatikchhari with her husband Abdul Barek, who was getting married. Soon after starting her family there, she joined her husband in the tea garden work.
He has now become the best in the country after picking a leaf or two. He received the award for the second consecutive time as the leaf picker (selector).
Regarding being the best, Jasmine said, "I work a little harder than others. I pick two more tea leaves. In 2024, I was able to pick 34,937 kg of tea leaves. Because of this, I was once again awarded as the best tea leaf picker."
I thank the government and the Tea Board for appreciating the work of a small worker like me. My husband, Barek, two sons, two daughters-in-law, daughter and daughter-in-law, and eight family members are involved in the tea industry.
M.M. Ispahani Neptune Tea Garden Manager Md. Riaz Uddin said, "We are happy to be selected as the best tea worker or leaf picker in the country for three consecutive times from Neptune Tea Garden among the 168 tea gardens in the country. Jasmine Akhter has become the best for the second consecutive time. This is a matter of pride for us."
We want other workers to be the best like Jasmine.' He said that an open tea leaf picking competition was recently held among workers from three tea gardens.
