My Life in Tea tells the story of Anwarul Azim’s years in tea-gardens. Interwoven into this beautiful narration is a nostalgic look at old Dhaka from the mid to late 1900s and the war of ’71. Readers will find intriguing the contrasting culture and jargon of the tea-gardens, and will learn to appreciate their daily cups of tea with new insight about the effort that goes into providing the perfect hot beverage. Through masterful and often humourous descriptions, the book brings the sepia-tinted Dacca of 1950s to life, and narrates anecdotes about the University of Dhaka, the psycho-social aspects of middle-class families, the effect of the liberation war on the tea-gardens, and the differences between the city-life and the life in the tea-gardens. Through the pages, readers not only get a sense of the beauty of the tea gardens, but also achieve an understanding of the hierarchy that existed, the influence of British culture, and of course, of the people employed there. Most importantly, through this book, the readers will come to recognize and befriend a person who has led a life that has been eventful and adventurous.
Anwarul Azim was born in 1946, and grew up in Dhaka when it was still a small provincial town. He completed his Bachelors in Economics from University of Dhaka, and Masters in Economics from University of Karachi. He joined Duncan Brothers as a Beginner Assistant in their estates in Sylhet in 1970, and rose in course of time to become a Manager, and then Visiting Agent, and finally, a Director in their corporate office in Dhaka. Tea, an industry with distinct philosophy of peace and continuity, was his home for many years where work, social and family lives were intertwined. In this book, he reminisces about his experiences and gives a passionate account of his life in the fascinating world of Tea.