Inspired by Bangladesh Television's Mati O Manush, Mamunur Rashid has built a rooftop farm on a four-storey building. Climbing the stairs, there is no way to tell it is a roof: it is a shady garden full of fruit trees.

The building was constructed in 1988, and his love for the roof began then. Over 28 years of close care, the 2,000 square foot roof has become a kingdom of fruit, and he has made himself a successful model agricultural entrepreneur.

He said many roofs in the city have no plants and are left completely empty; he wants every roof to have some greenery.

His roof has guava, star fruit, jujube, satkara, tamarind, betel leaf and even sugarcane, along with many foreign fruit trees: about a hundred kinds in all. His passion has become part of his livelihood.

Local and foreign fruit are produced, and hundreds of seedlings are raised and sold, bringing good annual income. With planned effort, a small roof can change a life and become a unique commercial example.

Many people who hear about this rich rooftop orchard come every day, both new entrepreneurs and people who simply enjoy a pleasant fruit garden in the busy city.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Chhad Krishi. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.