Shamim Jahangir
Nearly 100-year old palm tree of rare species still stands at the centenarian Baldha Garden weathering many onslaughts since the British rule is now on way to its slow death. The 107-feet in height palm tree flowered for the first time only last month and bore fruits.
The caretaker, who is also forest ranger of the forest department, said that this type of palm tree dies soon after bearing fruit. The days of this lone palm tree at the Baldha garden are thus numbered, he informed.
The forest department has prepared a seed bed to make seedlings to preserve this rare species-Careota. But the forest officials are not sure whether their initiative would be crowned with success or not.
He said that there is another 100-year-old palm tree in front of the pro-vice chancellor’s residence on the Dhaka University campus. But the one on the university campus is different in appearance, height and species from that of Baldha garden.
Besides this lone palm tree, over 1,800 plants, cactus, creepers and herbs of 672 species from more than 50 countries are now feasting the eyes of tree lovers and drawing researchers. Its fame attracted nobel laureates Poet Rabindranath Tagore in 1926 and Amarta Sen in 1998.
Caretaker of Baldha Garden Md Ekramul Huq told the New Nation that the
rare palm tree was planted by Gazipur Baldha Estate Zaminder Norendra Naraynan Roy Chowdhury, an ardent plant lover and founder of the garden.
The Baldha Garden is divided into two parts. One is called ‘psychic’ which was established between 1909 and 1936 and the other part is known as ‘civilly’ set up between 1936 and 1940.
“Zamindar Norendra Naraynan Roy Chowdhury described the first part of the garden as ‘heart’ and termed the second part ‘mother goddess of nature’,” according to the caretaker.
The civilly is open to the public at an entry fee of Tk 5 each.
The forest authorities have leased out the first part of the garden to a private firm for a year for Tk 1.10 lakh.
Over three thousands people visit the ” Civilly” part every day. The ‘psychic’ part is open only to researchers with permission.
The other varieties of plants at the Baldha garden include Sarad Mollika (Jasminum), Lata Joba (Hibiscus Fragrans), Cananga (Cananga Odorata), Kanak Suda (Odontodenia Speciosa), Kontaklota (Capparis Zeylanica), Kajupoti (Melaleuca Leucadendor), port landia grandiflora and olea .
The Baldha garden is now in a shambles due to inadequate maintenance for lack of fund, some locals said.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
