Noman Reza Sultani, alias Tara Mia, 35, of Jamalpur has become known for keeping birds as a hobby. His farm now has more than 7,000 birds and pigeons of about 50 to 60 species. The new deputy commissioner (DC), Md Imran Ahmed, went to his home to see the farm.

Tara Mia is the son of the late Abu Rayhan Sultani of Sultan Nagar village in Titpalla union, Digpait, in Sadar upazila. On 29 June Jagonews24.com published a report on him headlined 'Pakhi Bhai Tara Mia' (Bird Brother Tara Mia), which won praise across the district. After that, on the morning of Wednesday 6 September, the deputy commissioner went to his house.

Tara Mia once lived in Iraq. While he was in Kurdistan, his wife Salma Begum began keeping three pairs of pigeons and one pair of birds on the veranda as a hobby. As she started to see a profit, she asked her husband to come home. After seven or eight years abroad, Tara Mia returned and began commercial bird farming with Salma Begum, investing Tk 20,000 to 30,000 to add more birds. They have not looked back since, and now earn Tk 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh a month from the farm.

The couple now keep birds and pigeons in five sheds on about 40 decimals of land. Among the birds are lutino, cockatiel, exhibition budgerigar, Japanese budgerigar, lutino budgerigar, classical budgerigar, lovebird, cockatoo, myna, jain conure, java and diamond dove. Depending on the type, a pair of birds sells for Tk 500 to Tk 80,000.

The pigeons include Black Bombay, Kalo Mukkhi, White Bombay, Jahin Homer, Beauty Homer, Gia Owl, White Owl, Danish King, Lahori, Silver Shiraji and Lakkha. By breed, Tara Mia sells a pair of pigeons for Tk 1,000 to Tk 60,000.

Tara Mia said news of his farm had appeared in Jago News and other media. Last Wednesday morning the upazila nirbahi officer phoned unexpectedly to say the deputy commissioner would come. The DC arrived at 10am, stayed for about two hours and praised him.

He said the deputy commissioner would arrange training for other farmers in the area, would arrange a loan on a priority basis if needed, and also said he would arrange peacocks for the farm.

Deputy Commissioner Md Imran Ahmed told Jago News by phone that the district has 25 to 30 hobby bird farmers who raise different breeds entirely on their own initiative and sell them in various places. On learning of this, he visited Tara Mia's farm and one other on Wednesday.

He said that because the bird market is very large, incentive loans would be arranged to encourage these farmers.

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