Walk down the narrow dirt road of Domonpukur village in Kahalu upazila of Bogura and you are shaded by leafy trees, with the strong scent of tulsi, basak and aloe vera in the air. Locals say every tree, large and small, on both sides of the road was planted by "Kader Bhai". When they catch a cold, they drink the leaf juice he gives them. They do not need to go to town.

Kader Bhai's full name is Abdul Kader, but everyone in the village knows him as "Gachhpagol Kader" (tree-mad Kader). He is past 77, yet his pace, energy and wish to serve are still like a teenager's. For nearly five decades he has single-handedly built a quiet herbal empire.

Local people say Abdul Kader began planting trees in 1966, when he was just 17, and has never stopped. He has spent his life chasing trees. For him a tree does not mean flowers or fruit; it means medicine. In the leaves, bark and roots of each tree he finds the means to save lives. Most of the trees seen along a stretch of about three to four kilometres south of Kahalu bazar were planted by him.

Abdul Kader told Jagonews: "I have learned to understand the language of trees. I can tell from looking at a person's body which tree will cure which illness. I give people medicine from tree juice free of charge. Perhaps people are still by my side because they benefit from me."

Abdul Kader is a village doctor by profession and did a short course at a Unani medical college. But he is known above all as "Brikkhopremi Kader" (tree-lover Kader).

Domonpukur village lies 12 kilometres west of Bogura town. Kader's house is along a road that turns south from there. Both sides of the road are lined with green fields and shrubs, and the fields of aloe vera stand out.

The shimul mool (silk-cotton root) garden next to his house is also part of his medicine. When the tree is young, a radish-shaped root forms at its base that has medicinal properties; it works well against physical weakness and for binding the stomach.

Many plants lie neglected around us. But Kader's collection includes rokto chandal, turup chandal and balik mool, used near amulets; hostipolash, for poison and pain; kiamool, a remedy for dysentery; bhui kumra, white and red lojjaboti, kalo megh, pran tulsi, chandal, bait, nisindha, alkushi, rai chandal and har jora, among others.

Around the courtyard of his house there are also dudhraj, goru roshun, gondhobhadali, guru chandal, akondo, ashwagandha, talmool, ishwar mool, rajkonthi, patharkuchi, olotkombol, joanbir, bon dheros, mirchi dana, pipul, shotomool, tejbol, amrul, apang, patharsona, himsagar, nolikontho, Burma chandal, basak, swarnolota, dop terenga and jogdumur. The most valuable plant in Kader's garden, however, is ishwar mool.

In Domonpukur he has planted trees not only on his own land but wherever he has found space: neighbours' empty plots, road verges, school and college grounds.

So far the old man has planted about two lakh trees, all of them herbal. Whenever he finds a species somewhere, he collects it and plants it. His medicinal gardens can be seen at Kahalu hospital, Kahalu Degree College, Domon Primary School, Malancha College, Government Azizul Haque College, Fakir Uddin School, the Banani agriculture office, the YMCA and Hamdard College.

"Physical weakness, digestive problems, dysentery, pain, coughs - these can all be cured with plants. Those affected don't need to go to town," Abdul Kader said.

Altaf Hossain, a resident of Domonpukur, said: "Kader Bhai goes around all the time telling people about trees and medicine. He lives off his own means and lives for others. He has never taken money for medicine."

Monirul Islam, a businessman in Bogura town, said: "My daughter's cold and cough got better in a week after drinking juice from Kader Bhai's plants. I heard about him by word of mouth and got in touch. This is not medicine, it is a blessing."

Monirul, a teacher at Kahalu Degree College, said: "Students now take an interest in the trees he planted around the college. Schoolchildren now know the trees. This is Kader Sahib's contribution."

A few years ago Abdul Kader leased one bigha of land and made a garden, but someone set it on fire under cover of night and all the plants were destroyed.

"I did not cry," Kader said of the incident, "because good work always meets obstacles. So I started planting again. I want people to understand how much trees can give. I want neither money nor honour, only cooperation, so that this work can be done on a bigger scale."

Kahalu upazila agriculture officer Jannatul Ferdous said Abdul Kader is an exceptional person whose thinking and hard work on trees are truly inspiring, and that they are trying to bring his work to the attention of the government.

The officer added: "Many in the village want Kader's garden to be protected and expanded by the government. A local herbal research centre could be built by drawing on his experience."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.