Mamun Hossain, Pabna

Who doesn't like flowers, it's hard to find people who don't like flowers. Flowers of various colors have been used to beautify the human environment for thousands of years. That's why poet Satyendranath Dutta wrote in his poem. If you buy food for a penny in total, you will feel hungry. If you buy two flowers in half, O lover!

Flowers are a symbol of love, purity and beauty. However, flowers are no longer limited to hobbies. Flowers are now considered a commercial crop. Currently, many farmers in the country have become successful by cultivating flowers, and the farmers of Pabna are not far behind.

Where farmers are struggling to meet the costs of vegetable farming, three brothers named Khandaker Shariful Alam Rana, Khandaker Ashraful Bari Shahin and Khandaker Zafar Ullah, farmers from Bhajendrapur area of Maligachha Union in Sadar Pabna, have achieved success in commercial rose farming. In 2021, their average monthly income from the commercial rose garden established on three bighas of land is now three to five lakh taka. With such success, the agriculture department is also seeing great potential in rose cultivation in the district.

On the spot, it can be seen that on the day of Magh, as the winter season ends, the workers are busy picking flowers from the trees as soon as the morning light breaks through the dense fog. Preparations are underway to reach the designated market stores by collecting and sorting roses of various colors including red, white, yellow, and pink from the garden. Seeing this colorful garden of fragrant roses, new hopes for commercial potential are also being raised in the minds of other farmers.

It is known that the garden owners are three brothers from Bhajendrapur village. Four years ago, they established a rose garden on their ancestral three bighas of land by collecting about 36,000 seedlings from India, Jessore, and Gazipur. The seedlings produce flowers in the first year. Due to good profits according to market demand, they are reducing their dependence on vegetable cultivation and increasing the size of their garden every year.

When we spoke to the garden owner, Khandaker Ashraful Bari Shaheen, he said that in this garden, which was once covered with bamboo bushes, he is now cultivating seven different colored roses of four varieties: China, Hybrid Jumulia, Beauty, Virgo and Bombam. He said that this garden, which started working with two employees, has now created employment for six people. Their monthly salary is about 70 thousand taka. In the winter season, the demand for flowers increases during weddings and festivals, and the prices are also good. He also said that buyers also come directly to the garden to buy flowers.

When we spoke to the garden owner's son, Sakib, he said that my father and uncle started this flower garden together. I work in the garden along with my studies. He said that the demand for flowers is higher from December to February than at other times of the year. He said that the demand for flowers increases especially around the spring festival in February, World Valentine's Day and International Mother Language Day, and the great Independence Day in March. So they sell flowers worth 3 to 5 lakh taka during this time. He said that they sell flowers not only in Pabna, Chatmohar, Sujanagar, Santhia, Kashinathpur and Bera but also in Dhaka.

Manager of the rose garden Yunuf Sardar said that two months after planting the seedlings, a lot of flowers started coming to the garden. Since there is demand in the market, they also get good prices. He said that earlier flower shops used to bring flowers from Jessore. This also cost them more. Now by buying flowers from our garden, they save both their cost and time. He also said that now farmers are suffering a lot because they are not getting prices for various vegetable cultivation. Therefore, this farmer advised farmers to start flower gardens instead of increasing their dependence on vegetable cultivation.

We spoke to garden worker Shahin Pramanik and he said that earlier he used to earn a living by doing agricultural work in the fields. Later, this worker took a job as a tree caretaker with a monthly salary of 13 thousand taka. Currently, he is earning a salary of 15 thousand taka per month and is making a living.

Talking to Tithi, who came from Tebunia to buy flowers, he said that he likes flowers very much, so he has rushed to the garden in the morning to buy and see fresh flowers picked from the trees.

In this regard, Additional Deputy Director of the Pabna Agricultural Extension Department, agriculturist Md. Roknuzzaman said that earlier the rose market in Pabna was entirely dependent on imports. However, due to the availability of fresh and quality flowers, now most of it is in the hands of three brothers. He said that now the workers collect 2 to 2.5 thousand pieces of roses in their garden 2-3 days a week.

They sell each flower wholesale for 20 taka. He said that not only them, but now flowers are being cultivated commercially in almost all upazilas starting from Pabna Sadar, Chatmohar, Sujanagar, Ishwardi, Bera. This official believes that if the commercial cultivation of roses is expanded, it will be possible to export flowers from this district.