US Ambassador Peter Haas Tours Tea Gardens and Heritage Sites in Thakurgaon
Photo Collected
THAKURGAON — U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen visited the northern district of Thakurgaon on Monday, expressing admiration for the region’s unique flatland tea plantations.
Accompanied by his wife, Diane Dow, the Ambassador arrived at the Green Field Tea Estate in Nitoldoba village, located in the Baliadangi Upazila, shortly after 2 p.m. During his visit, Christensen toured the plantation, engaged with local business leaders, and observed the tea production process firsthand.
In a display of personal engagement, the Ambassador donned traditional headgear and joined laborers in the fields to manually harvest tea leaves. Reflecting on the experience, Christensen noted that while he had previously visited tea gardens in mountainous regions, witnessing tea cultivation on flat plains was a novel experience. He praised the skill and efficiency of the workers, highlighting the complexity involved in distinguishing between tea varieties during the harvest.
“I have only seen tea gardens on hillsides before, so seeing such a garden on a plain is a completely new experience for me,” Christensen said. “It is exciting to see those who work hard every day to pick tea leaves. They are truly skilled, as I found it difficult to quickly differentiate between white, green, and black tea leaves.”
The Ambassador also visited the Green Field Tea Industries Limited factory in the Shahbazpur area, where he inspected the processing line and sampled the locally produced green tea. Before concluding his visit, Christensen traveled to the border village of Mondumala in Harinmari to see a historic Suryapuri mango tree.
The delegation accompanying the Ambassador included U.S. Embassy official Nicole Clarissa Besnard, Thakurgaon District BNP President Mirza Foysal Amin, Green Field Tea Industries Managing Director Foyzul Islam, and Thakurgaon Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Shariful Islam.
Christensen expressed his appreciation for the tour of the northwestern region and stated his intention to explore more areas of Bangladesh in the future.
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