A century-old banyan tree in Kuakata, Patuakhali, bound up with the religious and cultural heritage of the Rakhine community, has been declared protected. The Coastal Forest Department and Kuakata municipality put up a billboard on 12 October in the Kuakata Mohila Rakhine Market area to secure it.
Locals say the tree has been part of people's memories and lives for generations. Its wide branches and shade shelter many species of birds, small animals and insects, so it also helps sustain local biodiversity.
Present when the billboard went up were Kuakata municipal administrator Yasin Sadek, staff of the Coastal Forest Department's Kuakata beat, Bhadanta Indrabangsha Thero, principal of Kuakata Central Srimangal Buddhist Vihara, Bhadanta Uttam Mahathero, principal of Mishripara Buddhist Vihara, local representative Motiur Rahman Howlader and Kuakata Secondary School teacher Mainul Islam.
The volunteer animal welfare and environmental group Animal Lovers of Patuakhali helped carry out the initiative. Those involved say it will protect the tree and raise environmental awareness, but long-term protection needs regular care, prevention of damage and action to protect its surroundings. The report is by Enayetur Rahman of Channel i Online.
Photo: Faizul Latif Chowdhury / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); a representative picture of a banyan tree
Source: Channel i Online
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