Yellow oranges hang in clusters among the green leaves of small trees. Each tree is laden with fruit, its branches bending to the ground. Teacher Khalilur Rahman has scored a success with a China-variety orange garden in his homestead, and people are crowding to his home to see it.

Khalilur Rahman has succeeded in growing China oranges on flat land in Barakhata Paschim Sardubi village of Hatibandha upazila, Lalmonirhat. People of all ages come every day from neighbouring upazilas and elsewhere to see his garden. Besides China oranges, he also has Nagpuri, Darjeeling and China Three orange trees.

Khalilur Rahman is headmaster of Milan Bazar Mozammel Hossain High School in the upazila. Alongside teaching, he has set an example with devoted orange farming, which is inspiring people in the area. Many have shown interest in growing oranges after seeing his garden.

He started a Darjeeling orange garden on 1 bigha in 2011, and 152 trees bore fruit four years later. In 2020 he planted a garden of 400 China orange trees on about 1 acre. Three years later, at the end of 2024, every tree bore the fruit he had hoped for, and the oranges have now turned yellow. So far he has sold oranges worth about a lakh taka or more at market. He has also received a national award.

Sagar Mia, who came to visit the garden, said: "I am charmed by the garden. I ate oranges too; they are very tasty. An orange garden in such a remote area has impressed everyone. An orange garden in our own country is something to be proud of."

Local resident Bajet Mia said: "People come from different places to see the orange garden. Many are buying oranges. Every tree is full of oranges."

Teacher Taslim Uddin said: "I came to see the orange garden our school's headmaster has made. The trees are full of oranges just like in Bhutan. They taste good too."

Khalilur Rahman said: "Three years after planting the garden, there are plenty of oranges. My wife Fatema Majumder took great care of the garden. This year the yield has been as hoped. Orange saplings are also being sold from the garden. If everyone planted orange gardens, the demand for fruit would be met."

Hatibandha upazila agriculture officer Mizanur Rahman said: "We have visited the orange garden. It has a good yield. The agriculture department is advising and supporting the teacher on various matters."

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