Five Ctg personalities honoured for contributions to city's heritage, culture

Five distinguished personalities from Chattogram have been honoured for their contributions to the port city's history, culture, urban development and intellectual life at an event marking the conclusion of Seylon Tea's 'Amar Shohor Chattogram' campaign.

The 'Seylon Amar Shohor Special Personality Award' was presented to the five at an event organised by Abul Khair Group at the Navy Convention Centre in Chattogram today (3 September).

The recipients are MA Malek, editor of Dainik Azadi and Ekushey Padak-winning journalist; Ekushey Padak-winning journalist Abul Momen; architect and urban planner Jerina Hossain; urban planner and engineer Delwar Majumder; and writer and researcher Harun Rashid.

Seylon Tea launched the 'Amar Shohor' campaign to highlight the stories, history and culture of cities across Bangladesh, with Chattogram selected as its first destination.

The campaign featured Chattogram-themed packaging, special gifts for customers and a digital contest encouraging people to share memories, experiences and stories associated with the city.

The concluding event featured presentations on Chattogram's history, heritage, lifestyle and cuisine, along with cultural performances. Mega prizes were also distributed through a lottery among weekly winners of the digital contest.

Chattogram's long connection with tea

Organisers highlighted Chattogram's role in Bangladesh's tea industry, noting that the city has been a major hub for tea trading for nearly two centuries.

The first experimental tea cultivation in what is now Bangladesh was undertaken in Chattogram in 1840. Before the Partition of India, tea produced in the region was auctioned through Kolkata and London.

Chattogram hosted its first tea auction on 16 July 1949, after which the city gradually emerged as the country's principal centre for tea trading.

The city remains closely linked to the industry, with tea tasting and quality assessment, auctions, warehousing, blending and marketing taking place through the Chattogram tea trade.

According to organisers, more than 97% of the country's auctioned tea was sold through Chattogram in the 2024-25 season despite the introduction of new auction centres.

Brig Gen (retd) Shahidullah Chowdhury, executive director of Abul Khair Group, said the event was an effort to highlight Chattogram's history, heritage, culture, food and the emotions people associate with the city.

"Many people have misconceptions about Chattogram's history. Chattogram had existed on the world map even before 400 BC. Because of its natural port and geographical location, people from different regions, including the Portuguese and Arabs, came here," he said.

He said Abul Khair Group, which began as a small cottage industry in 1953, has since grown into one of Bangladesh's largest industrial groups.

The group contributes more than Tk11,000 crore annually to the government exchequer through taxes and excise duties and employs around 63,000 people, he said.

It also undertakes corporate social responsibility initiatives in areas including sports, culture and children's talent development, he added.

Shahidullah said Chattogram was the first stop of the 'Seylon Amar Shohor' campaign, which will subsequently be taken to other cities across Bangladesh.

Ifthekharul Alam, manager (brand) of Abul Khair Group, said the campaign was based on the idea that while a cup of tea may be finished, the stories associated with it remain.

"Every person has nostalgia and memories associated with their hometown. Our main objective is to bring those stories and memories to the forefront," he said.

He said Chattogram was chosen for its history, culture, emotional significance to its residents and its role in the country's tea trade.

The campaign engaged people through digital activities as well as activations at markets and shopping malls, with participants receiving rewards, he added.

The event marked the formal conclusion of the Chattogram chapter of the 'Amar Shohor' campaign. Content creators, social media influencers and people from different professions attended the event.