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56-402: There are two main beliefs associated with the name of the district. The first is that Panchargarh was named after an area called Pancha Nagari in the kingdom of Pundu Nagar. The second is that it was named for the five forts (or garh ) in the region. The forts were Bhitargarh , Hosaingarh, Mirgarh, Rajangarh and Devengarh, hence the name Panchagarh, meaning 'five forts'. During the regime of

112-506: A compostable corn silk . The outer wrapper of the individually wrapped tea bags is made from compostable eucalyptus and aspen leaf. Teatulia's merchandise, including tea chests and point-of-purchase displays, is made from reclaimed pinewood damaged by the mountain pine beetle . Teatulia's teas were certified kosher through Star-K in 2013. In 2013, Teatulia received the Rainforest Alliance certification. The Rainforest Alliance

168-510: A district on 1 February 1984. The first deputy commissioner of Panchagarh was A. S. M. Abdul Halim from 1 February 1984 to 16 June 1985. Geographically this land is part of the lower foothills of the Himalayas so comparatively this land is the highest in Bangladesh, lying 150 feet (46 m) above sea level. The soil composition is also distinct with rich sand and stones. The district is located in

224-773: A line of organic, fine-cut teas. They are a blend of tea from Teatulia's garden as well as other organic, like-minded tea farms. The tea leaves are finely ground instead of the whole leaves. Teatulia has five varieties of fine-cut teas: black, Earl Grey, green, jasmine green , chamomile and lemongrass. Iced tea : Teatulia's line of iced teas are blended with fine-cut teas and herbs that are grown in Teatulia's garden as well as other like-minded tea gardens, and are packaged in one-ounce portion packs that brew one gallon of iced tea. Teatulia has four varieties of iced teas: signature black, ginger green, pomegranate green, and hibiscus berry. Energy tea : Teatulia'a newest line of tea launched in 2015

280-501: A period between 7th and 12th centuries AD. Some black basalt-based artifacts including pieces of idols of Manasa , Ramachandra and Hanuman were also discovered by local villagers. Ten ponds ( dighi ) also exist in the area, of which Maharajar Dighi of 53 acres is historically significant. Archaeological studies also discovered evidence of dams in the ancient city, pointing to the advanced irrigation and cultivation system of its inhabitants. These stone-based dams were built to divert

336-562: A permanent custodian office was recommended to establish at the site for its preservation. Teatulia Organic Teas Teatulia is a privately owned tea company based in Denver , Colorado. Teatulia is named after the Tetulia region in Northern Bangladesh where the company grows and produces its teas. It is the first USDA-certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh and the first tea in

392-607: A plant ( Gemcon Ltd. ) on 35 acres in Panchagarh District. Here, all the products in the plant are manufactured by using indigenous raw materials. The factory has created direct or indirect job opportunities for more than 1500 people and helping the nation to alleviate poverty. Gem Jute Limited was established in Panchagarh in 2003, with a corporate vision of improving the livelihood of the local population by providing employment and advancement opportunities as well as stimulating

448-489: A popular tourist spot, has three domed mosques at Mirzapur, Chhaprajhar (Pahar Bhanga) and Sardarpara, which bear the relics of Mughal architecture and the remains of the Zamindar Bari of Aloakhoa. The Bara Awliyar Majar is another notable place of interest. Atwari has the marks of Bangladesh War of Liberation of 1971 . There are 2 mass graves, 1 twin grave and 1 martyr memorial monument. Maharaja Dighi (Pond) at Bhitargarh

504-547: A population of 1,179,843. The urban population was 189,848 (16.09%). Panchagarh District had a literacy rate of 73.66% for the population 7 years and above: 76.66% for males and 70.69% for females, and a sex ratio of 99.68 males per 100 females. The ethnic population is 2,011. Muslims make up 84.06% of the population while Hindus, mainly Rajbanshis , are 15.68% of the population. There is a population of 2,700 Christians, mainly in Atwari Upazila. Prior to Partition, Hindus made up

560-512: A slight majority in what is now Panchagarh district. The local industry consists of tea , sugar , rice mills, ice factories, garment factories, oil milling, and saw milling. Banglabandha land port is located on about 10 acres (40,000 m) of acquired land at the north-western tip of Bangladesh in Tetulia under Panchagarh district on the Bangladesh-India highway. The port is situated 60 km (37 mi) from Panchagarh Town. The place

616-458: A sovereign government till the 13th century. Very little is known about its last sovereign, Prithu Raja, who was believed to have committed suicide because of his religion. There is a legend that Prithu Raja committed suicide along with his army at the Maharaja Dighi to protect their purity from being sullied by an invading force from the impure Kichok Tribe, which had attacked the city. The tribe

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672-464: A team from the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) when the site was found in a dilapidated condition. Archaeological investigations assert that the city's territorial boundary included four "concentric quadrangles", separated by ramparts built with earth and bricks. The ramparts were further bolstered by the presence of rectangular bastions and buttresses found at regular intervals. Each of

728-560: Is a residential complex while the rest are temples. One of the temples has a cruciform shape and has a stupa nearby which is bordered by two verandas, all situated in the first quadrangle. In the second quadrangle exist two gateways called Yama Duar or "Door of death" at the western rampart and Kala Duar or "Door of eternal time" at southern rampart. Artifacts which were discovered include pottery, clay, iron, and brass-based objects; copper and gold bangles; terracotta and stone beads as well as some stone sculptures which are believed to be from

784-655: Is a well-known tourist attraction in the Sadar Upazila. Bhitrar Shalmara is a notable lake. Shal forest of Bhitargarh and the government forest on the banks of the Chawai and Karatôya rivers are also quite famous. During the War of Liberation in 1971, the guerrilla fighters demolished the bridge on the Chawai near the Amarkhana camp thereby obstructing the advance of the Pakistani army towards

840-478: Is an international nonprofit organization, founded in 1987, that works to conserve biodiversity, develop and promote standards for sustainability, and foster the rights and welfare of workers, their families, and communities in more than 70 countries. Farms are audited against the Sustainable Agricultural Network's standards, and if they meet the criteria for responsible management, they are awarded

896-537: Is believed to be from present-day Cooch Behar District in India, located to the north of the city. In the ancient period, Bhitargarh served as a node of important trade routes, including the Southwest Silk Road , linking the ancient kingdoms of Tibet and Yunnan with Bengal and eastern India. Its location on the bank of Karatoya River made it easier to access Tibet through the city. Its influence in connecting

952-573: Is of international character and used for Nepal transit traffic passing through a small corridor of India. It is about 22 metres (72 ft) away from the Bangladesh-Indian border. Panchagarh is famous for its tea industry which plays a major role in the economics of this area. Presently, over 7,000 skilled and unskilled workers, mostly women, work in 246 tea gardens, including 18 big estates, 13 medium-size and 215 small-scale gardens set up on more than 1,815 acres (7.35 km) of land in Tetulia and

1008-460: Is the Energy Tea including Energy Red, Energy Black, and Energy Green teas. The Energy Teas combine Teatulia's award-winning teas with the ancient, energizing herb eleuthero root, also known as Siberian ginseng , to create a tea meant to clear the mind while helping one embrace a busy, active lifestyle. Used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, Siberian ginseng has been known to help

1064-661: Is why they remain light in color and flavor. Teatulia's line of whole leaf green tea includes two varieties: green and ginger green. Black tea : Teatulia's black tea is immediately rolled after withering to assist in starting the oxidation processes. The leaves are then fully oxidized before they are dried, which is how they get their dark color and rich flavor. Teatulia's line of whole leaf black tea includes five varieties: black, breakfast tea , Earl Grey , Neem Nectar, and Tulsi Infusion. Oolong tea : In September 2014, Teatulia launched its newest variety of tea, oolong . Oxidation levels in oolong can vary from 8% to 80% depending on

1120-567: The British Raj , Panchagarh was part of the Jalpaiguri district of undivided Bengal . In 1911, Jalpaiguri was fully established as a thana . At that time, the headquarters of Jalpaiguri thana was situated in Jagdal upazila of the current Panchagarh district. The thana was relocated at the bank of Karatoya River in its current position for environmental and transportation benefits. After

1176-591: The Himalayan foothills by glacial waters as well as monsoon rainfalls. Topographically, the land is part of the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plains while the gravel beds belong to the Upper Pleistocene stage, similar to the rest of Panchagarh District. The Upper Pleistocene layer is further overlain by Holocene deposits, evident in the alluvium sand, silt and clay. The composition of different minerals in

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1232-654: The Khen Kingdom and then into the Koch Kingdom and continued to serve as a trading hub till the seventeenth century when it was conquered by the Mughal Bengal under the reign of Mir Jumla II . Bhitargarh covers an area of 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi), situated in the Amarkhana Union of Panchagarh Sadar Upazila within the Panchagarh District. The site is covered by sand and gravel which flowed down from

1288-658: The United States that is imported from Bangladesh. In 2000, the Ahmed family of Bangladesh purchased 2,000 acres of land in the Tetulia region, located against the Himalayas to the north and the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers to the south. The family hoped the Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate, Ltd. (KKTE) would give the struggling economy a boost by providing area residents with jobs. Planting for

1344-585: The Holocene gravel beds is indistinguishable from that of the Himalayas. The site is in close proximity to two tributaries of Karatoya river, Talma and Kudum to its west and east respectively. There is also the Teesta River , flowing about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the east of the site, as well as the Salmara river which flows right beside the western rampart of the city. Excavations at Bhitargarh began in 2008 by

1400-458: The Karatoya (Karatoa), Atrai, Teesta, Nagor, Mahananda, Tangon, Dahuk, Pathraj, Bhulli, Talma, Chawai, Kurum, Tirnoi, and Chilka. The border of this district was designed by Sir Cyril John Radcliffe in 1947. The length of the border in Panchagarh between Bangladesh and India is 286.87 km (178.25 mi). According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh , Panchagarh District had 281,627 households and

1456-565: The Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, Panchagarh was a thana under the Thakurgaon mahakuma in Dinajpur district. On 1 January 1980, it was established as a mahakuma consisting of five thana s named Tetulia, Panchagarh Sadar, Atwari, Boda and Debiganj. The first commissioner of Panchagarh was Sayed Abdur Rashid from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1982. Later, it was established as

1512-493: The Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal of approval. Farms that achieve Rainforest Alliance certification support a healthy environment, ensuring ecosystem conservation, wildlife protection, water and soil conservation, and agrochemical reduction. These farms also guarantee worker rights and safety, decent housing, legal wages and contracts for workers, and access to healthcare and education. In 2014, Teatulia became

1568-618: The Revenue office building and the old residential house of the Raja of Cooch-Bihar are quite well-known. Jagabandhu Thakur-bari is another place of interest for tourists. Saldanga Gokulam Temple, which is notable for its Greek architecture, is located in Debiganj. The town has one dak bungalow (rest house). Tetulia upzela : Tetulia dak bungalow, Banglabadha zeropoint, Rowsonpur mini park and tea garden Panchagarh has five upazilas : The members of

1624-613: The ancient trade routes in the region extends from Magadha to as far as Southwest China through the Brahmaputra Valley as well as western and southeastern bank of Mekong River . The city could have seen the arrival of Kambojas in the first half of 10th century, who were ruling the rest of Bengal at that time. It became part of the Bengal Sultanate in 1498 during the reign of Alauddin Husain Shah . Bhitargarh later fell into

1680-413: The area and neither has any preservation project. As of 2019, about 40,000 people were residing within the archaeological site and were involved with agricultural activities. The people are mostly migrants from Comilla , Rangpur , Tangail , Mymensingh districts as well as recent migrants from Jalpaiguri District of India. Archaeologists believe as the migrants lack close connection with the heritage of

1736-416: The area, they are least interested in its preservation and as such, their continuous habitation and agricultural activities have been causing significant damage to the site. Some community engagement programs have been arranged in the area by archaeologists to build mass-awareness about preserving the heritage of the site and protect it from further damage. A rock museum, the first of its kind in Bangladesh,

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1792-411: The cattle-lending program, local women are given cattle by the cooperative as a loan. The loan is paid back through the dung of the cattle to be used as fertilizer in the garden. When the loan has been fully paid back, the families are allowed to keep the cattle and start over with the program if they like. The Teatulia Cooperative also offers literacy classes taught by graduate students. A computer lab

1848-533: The community, the environment, workers, suppliers, and consumers). Teatulia, known as Kazi & Kazi in Bangladesh, employs an average of 600 full-time workers and another 100 to 400 part-time workers at different times of the year. Teatulia was the first large commercial enterprise of any kind to start operating in Tetulia. As a way to give back to the local community, the Teatulia Cooperative established education, health, and cattle-lending programs. In

1904-522: The community. Latrines are also distributed and maintained free of charge. The cooperative provides footballs, volleyballs, and cricket bats free of cost to primary and secondary schools and local clubs. Orthodox tea : Teatulia practices the orthodox method of tea processing and offers ten whole-leaf tea varieties in its orthodox line. Teatulia's whole-leaf teas can be separated into four categories: white tea , green tea , black tea , and herbal tea . Teatulia's white, green, and black teas all come from

1960-434: The district is 1,404.62 square kilometres or 542.33 square miles. The district consists of five upazilas , 43 unions, 420 mauzas , 825 villages, two paurashavas , 18 wards and 64 mahallas . Its soil is sandy, alluvial and bears close affinity with the soil of the older Himalayan basin. In the northern part of the district there exists an underground layer of pebbles . Panchagarh has 16 rivers, amongst which are

2016-549: The district. Notable schools and colleges of the districts are: Bhitargarh Bhitargarh ( Bengali : ভিতরগড় ) is an archaeological site that includes the remains of an ancient fort city built in and around the 5th century AD. It is located in Panchagarh District in Rangpur Division in the northern part of Bangladesh and is large enough that it can be seen from space. The archaeological significance of

2072-509: The extreme north of Bangladesh , and is bounded on three sides by the 288 km (179 mi) long Indian border, with the Darjeeling district on the north, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts on the northeast, Uttar Dinajpur on the west, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts on the south, and Nilphamari district on the east. It lies between 26º00' and 26º38' north latitudes and between 88º19' and 88º49' east longitudes. Total area of

2128-406: The first Colorado tea company certified as a B Corporation (B Corp) by B Lab , a nonprofit organization that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Certified B Corporations must meet standards of social and environmental performance and are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions not only on their shareholders, but also on their stakeholders (e.g.,

2184-423: The leaves are allowed to wither and dry in a carefully controlled environment. Green tea : Teatulia's green tea is passed through a steaming treatment before rolling. Steaming applies light heat to the leaves to help stop the oxidation process before the leaves are rolled into shape. Steaming also helps bring out the fresh, grassy flavor of the leaf. Green tea leaves are not allowed to oxidize after rolling, which

2240-542: The leaves are rolled during processing, the tea master can subtly alter the entire direction of the tea's final flavor. Herbal tea : Teatulia's herbal infusions are not considered true teas because they do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant; they are a blend of other plants, herbs, and leaves grown in Teatulia's garden. Teatulia has three varieties in its line of herbal teas: peppermint, ginger, chamomile , and lemongrass . Fine-cut teas : In May 2013, Teatulia launched

2296-508: The level of water flow to store water at upstream. The Shalmara river then joins the Talma river at Birbandh in the northeastern part of the third quadrangle which is believed to be a man-made diversion made by the city's inhabitants. Despite its considerable potential in the historical studies of the region, Bhitargarh remains threatened by continuous encroachment. The Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh government does not possess any land in

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2352-418: The local economy through direct and indirect economic activities. Gem Jute promotes sustainable development and support the environment by providing high-quality, organic, biodegradable products to the world market. Over 5000 people work at Gem Jute Limited. Under Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), Panchagarh Sugar Mills Ltd. is the oldest industry in the district. Panchagarh Sugar Mills

2408-567: The north. In the initial stage of the war, Maqbul Darji and the Badi Howladar (EPR) were killed in an encounter with the Pakistani army, which lost eighteen of its soldiers. The Shaheed Farooque Ahmad Memorial Monument at Dhakka-mara in Panchagarh town, as well as the grave of the martyr freedom fighter Sakimuddin at Jagdal-hat in front of the Baital Aman mosque, mark the War of Liberation. In Debiganj,

2464-434: The production style of the tea master, which is why the flavor profile of some oolongs may lean more toward a fresh green tea (less oxidized) and others toward a malty black tea (more oxidized). Oolong teas are traditionally rolled, twisted, or curled into tight balls or thin strands. Rolling is an important aspect of oolong processing that alters the appearance, color, and aroma of the final tea leaves. Depending on how and when

2520-427: The quadrangles were also surrounded by moats . These ramparts were built to protect the city from both floods and foreign invasions. The fortified structural design of Bhitargarh conforms to the construction recommendations defined at Arthashastra . Some foundations of religious and other monuments that trace their origin to the early medieval period have been discovered in the excavations. One of these structures

2576-570: The region, such as the neem tree ( Azadirachta indica ), help protect the Camellia sinensis tea plants from insects and pests. The tea is grown in Teatulia's garden in Bangladesh, handpicked by local tea pluckers, processed in onsite facilities, and then shipped directly to consumers around the world. Teatulia packages its tea in what they call eco-canisters , made from 100 percent recyclable paper. Their eco-canisters are wrapped with labels printed with water-based inks, and their tea bags are made from

2632-446: The same Camellia sinensis tea plant. The way each tea is processed gives it a unique flavor profile and distinguishes whether it will become a white, green, or black tea. White tea : Teatulia's white tea comes from the youngest and rarest part of the plant, which gives it a delicate flavor. White tea is neither rolled nor fired, so it is essentially non-oxidized and is the least processed. Instead of being exposed to artificial heat,

2688-509: The site lies in its strategic position as an intersection of the trade routes between Tibet , Nepal , Bhutan and the middle and lower Ganges Valley . At its height the city stretched over 5   km by 3   km and involved rerouting the Talma River. Bhitargarh was a walled city state, the largest in the northern South Asia, and used to be the seat of King Prithu, popularly known as Maharaja. It used to be an independent city state with

2744-405: The surrounding areas. Of them nearly 2,300 workers, mostly women, work alone at the giant Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate (KKTE) at Tetulia which has earned a reputation in both national and international markets by producing, processing and marketing Kazi & Kazi organic tea, also sold as Teatulia Organic Teas , and earning foreign exchange. Industry for manufacturing SPC electric poles, established

2800-462: The tea garden began on August 6, 2000. After several years of cultivation, Teatulia began to grow organic teas and herbs in its garden. Tea was introduced in the United States in 2005. The tea garden's foundation is based on Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka 's natural farming method, where no machinery, chemicals, or artificial irrigation are used. For example, naturally growing plants and trees in

2856-507: The tenth Jatiyo Sangsad , elected in 2019, are: Bicycle, rickshaw, and motorcycle are the main modes of transport for local people. Regular buses connect the district to neighbouring districts and subdivisions. The road distance from Dhaka (capital city of Bangladesh) to Panchagarh is 475 kilometres (295 mi). Road transportation between Dhaka and Panchagarh is a private sector affair, operating predominantly in domestic routes. On 10 November 2018, direct train service from Dhaka to Panchagarh

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2912-480: The water of Shalmara into the city during dry seasons to be utilized in agricultural and household activities. One of these dams was located at a place called Domoni at the southern rampart of the third quadrangle, used to control the water flow. There were two additional structures made of granite stones, one at Pathar-ghata and another at Kamarbhita which were built to split the course of Shalmara river into three. These structures were also used as embankments to control

2968-449: Was established at Panchargarh Government Women's College, displaying different artifacts discovered from Bhitargarh. In 2016, a seminar was arranged at Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka on the preservation efforts for Bhitargarh archaeological site, attended by then Finance minister of Bangladesh, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith as the chief guest. An allocation of 20 crore BDT was demanded and

3024-599: Was inaugurated. The railway distance from Dhaka to Panchagarh is 639 kilometres (397 mi), which is the longest distance travelled by any train in the country. There is no direct air connection from Dhaka to Panchagarh. The district's literacy rate is 51.08%, among which male and female literacy rates are 55.02% and 48.03% respectively. There are 313 primary schools, 65 kindergartens, 79 NGO schools, four government secondary schools, 268 non-government secondary schools, two government colleges, 25 non-government colleges, 94 madrasas, and 13 technical and vocational institutions in

3080-408: Was opened to initiate IT education in the community and a library is being built in Bangladesh to support the community. Teatulia reports that in 2013, 84 percent of male and female workers were literate. When the tea garden first opened, less than 30 percent of workers were literate. The cooperative also provides medicinal shots and herbs to the neighboring villages in order to maintain the health of

3136-520: Was set up by the government in 1965–69 at a cost of Tk.55.55 million. It is near the district headquarters of Panchagarh and is the northernmost sugar mill in Bangladesh. Machinery and equipment of the sugar mill were supplied by M/S. Stork Werkspoor of Holland. The sugar mill started its trial production in 1969–70. Since the independence of Bangladesh (until 2005), the sugar mill has produced 8,536 million tons of sugar per annum on average with an average sugar recovery rate of 8.10% from sugarcane. Atwari ,

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