A tiny plot of land, covered in green rice plants. Some have already come into ear. Beside them are a banana plant and a few okra plants, already bearing okra.

Hearing this, anyone would think it was a farmer's field somewhere in rural Bengal. But many would find it hard to believe that such a paddy field lies inside the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

Amid the concrete walls and mechanical life of busy Dhaka, a small farming effort in Suhrawardy Udyan has brought this unusual touch of green. In a small plot in one corner of the park, rice is being grown by Rajib Shah, a homeless, wandering and very poor man.

Besides rice, he has planted seedlings of marigold and several other flowers there, and has also set up a place for visitors to the park to pray.

A laminated sheet of paper in front of the paddy plot catches passers-by's attention. It reads: "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Mohammad Rajib Shah's historic paddy field in the historic Suhrawardy Udyan."

Below that is written: "I won't leave without eating the rice, Inshallah. Save this in your head..... OK bro." At the bottom it says: "Courtesy: Md Rajib Shah".

Talking to this correspondent on Wednesday morning (3 June), Rajib Shah said he makes a living collecting plastic bottles. He said he deeply loves the late prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia and the BNP, and that this farming effort is an expression of that love.

Rajib Shah said that on the day of the janaza of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, he earned Tk 1,500 by collecting and selling bottles. With that money he bought rice seedlings and planted them in this spot in the park.

He said he is doing this not in hope of getting anything, but out of his own emotion and love. He is determined that rice will be produced from this paddy, and he will not leave Suhrawardy Udyan until he has eaten rice from it.

He added that after the harvest he wants to eat the rice together with the city's street children.

Besides planting rice, Rajib Shah has also made a small marigold garden. He said the spot will become even more beautiful and attractive when the flowers bloom. He insists there is no personal interest behind the effort; it is simply a silent expression of his devotion and love.

Alongside the farming, he has also marked out a 'prayer space' for visitors to the park. According to Rajib Shah, there was no suitable place for passers-by to pray in the area. Especially on Pahela Baishakh or at other festivals, when huge crowds gather, many people cannot find a place to pray, and he took the step with this need in mind.

Rajib Shah's unusual effort shows that with goodwill, labour and sincerity, a rare blend of natural beauty and humanity can be created even amid mechanical city life. This small farm in Suhrawardy Udyan has now become a source of curiosity, wonder and delight for many visitors.

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