Dhaka, Oct. 3 -- The flatlands tea industry in northern Bangladesh is confronting a severe crisis, with recent data highlighting a sharp decline in both production and cultivated area, particularly from Panchagarh, indicate that struggling farmers are being forced to uproot tea bushes, threatening national output and livelihoods.

According to the Bangladesh Tea Board, tea cultivation across 11,750 acres in the five northern districts - Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, and Nilphamari - fell by approximately 3.58 million kilograms in the 2024 season compared to the previous year.

Panchagarh alone recorded a staggering drop of 3.4 million kilograms, making it the hardest-hit district.

Overall, production in the region totale...