A 15-day divisional tree-planting campaign and tree fair has begun in Barishal under the slogan "Plant trees and care for them, build a country of healthy generations". As every year, the stalls are full of plants of many species. While small plants are in demand, the eye-catcher is a bonsai "Fai Bot" tree at Adarsha Nursery. The tree, more than 40 years old, is priced at Tk 5.5 lakh.

At the fair on the Bangabandhu Uddyan ground in the city on the afternoon of Wednesday, 2 August, people were seen crowding around the tree.

Rubel Khan, director of M/s Adarsha Nursery, told Jagonews that they imported the Fai Bot bonsai from India 10 years ago and have looked after it at their nursery since then. The tree is now more than 40 years old.

He said everyone who sees the tree is charmed by it. Its special quality is that it will stay the same for as long as it lives, and its beauty will grow as it ages. Thousands of people come every day to see it and take photos, and some say seeing it made their visit to the fair worthwhile. Many have made offers, and he hopes it will be sold soon.

Shammi Akter, a student visiting the fair, said she had seen thousands of plant species and many kinds of bonsai at the fair, but this bonsai looked more beautiful than the others, so she took several photos with it.

Another visitor, Chhabbir, said the tree looks exactly like a huge banyan tree. "We can only look at it, because the asking price is Tk 5.5 lakh, which is completely beyond our means. But it is very beautiful," he said.

Besides bonsai, the fair has orchids of different species, seasonal fruit, timber and medicinal plants, local and foreign flowers, organic fertiliser and modern irrigation equipment. Every stall has cacti of many species, along with decorative plants for indoor use.

Rooftop gardeners can find pots of different kinds and everything else they need, from organic fertiliser to materials for automatic rooftop irrigation. Potted plants of various kinds are available to bring some greenery to office desks and home courtyards.

The fair began on 26 July and will run until 9 August. Sellers said visitors and buyers come from morning till night despite sun and rain.

Staff at the fair's information centre said nurseries from different parts of Barishal are taking part in 50 stalls this year. The stalls are skilfully decorated; each looks like a small garden, with beautiful plants on both sides and a path to walk through the middle.

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