The decision has been taken after successful plantation of herbal trees at Quzi and Quzi Tea Estate.

To implement the plan, a seven-member 'task force' has been formed with BTB Member (Research and Development) Saiful Alam and its Senior Development Officer Md Mahbub-ul-Alam as convenor and member-secretary respectively.

According to BTB sources, about 1000 hectares of fallow land under tea gardens which are not suitable for tea plantation will be brought under the programme in three phases.

In the first phase, samplings of plants like Ghrita Kumari (Aloe), Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera), Kalo Megh, Methi (Plant fenugreek) will be planted on 150 hectares in three years at a cost of Tk 4. 5 crore.

Saplings of plants like Tulasi (Holy Basil), Thankuni (Pungent Herb), Basak (Gendarussa Vulgoris), Pudina (Mint), Gul Marich (Black Pepper), Sarpagandha (Ichneumon Plant), Mehedi (Henna), Ataa (Custard Apple) and Karamcha (Acid fruit) will be planted on 250 hectares in the second phase.

In the third phase, saplings of trees like Agor (Mat Door), Tejpata (Cassia Leaf), Neem (Margosa Tree) Tentul (Tamarind Tree) Kalojam (Black Berry), Daruchini (Cinnamon), Amloki (Emblic Myrobalan), Haritoki (Myrolalan), Bohera, Bel (Wood Apple), Suna Alu, Arjun, Shishu (Dalbergin Sissoo), Mohua (Bassia Latifolia) and Ashok (Ashoka) will be planted on 600 hectares.

The plan will be implemented in cooperation with garden owners. Producers of herbal medicines or individuals will be allowed to plant the saplings under agreement with garden owners, the sources said.

The BTB will arrange bank loans for interested parties, they said.

If the plan can be implemented, around 25,000 tons of raw materials for herbal medicine worth Tk 66 crore will be produced annually in the gardens, they said.

Unani, Ayurbedic and Homeopath medicine producers now use 58 lakh tons of such raw materials annually, 80 per cent of which is imported.