Salim Moshiur, Cumilla (South)

Honalu flowers, a traditional symbol of rural Bengal, are blooming beautifully on trees and branches across all the upazilas of Cumilla South. Although the Honalu tree is slowly becoming extinct in this region, at the beginning of the current spring, 2/4 trees in the courtyards of some houses or on the side of the road are showing various pictures of rural Bengal.

According to several local sources, if there is no natural disaster in the region due to weather and climate change, the owners of the trees are happy with whatever Honalu trees and flowers are there. Because Honalu trees and flowers are very beneficial to people. Various furniture is made from the wood of the Honalu tree and the flowers are used for various diseases of the body or its cultivation and preparation of various delicious dishes. But in the age of technology, this beneficial plant cannot be found even after visiting 2/4 houses.

No government or non-government initiative has been taken to preserve the plant for the benefit of the environment and human welfare.

The sources further said that in all the villages of the southern upazilas of the district and the surrounding villages, a large number of honalu trees start blooming on the trees around the arrival of the New Year from the end of spring and the tree remains in its beautiful spring dress throughout the month of Falgun. The demand for this flower is high among the people of the rural areas. This flower, which is full of delicious and nutritious properties, is used to prepare various dishes. Honalu flowers are sold along with other vegetables in the markets. Since the flowers have various qualities and taste, they are loved by people of any age.

Several doctors at the local private hospital said that honalu flowers contain food ingredients such as calcium, mineral salts, iron, protein and sugar. In addition, vitamin A.B. The flowers and leaves of Honalu, which are rich in O and C, are very beneficial for the human body. The flowers and leaves of this plant are also used as medicinal materials to prevent various diseases, especially in pregnant women.

Multiple sources of local environmentalists say that apart from nourishing the human body, the leaves and flowers of this Honalu plant are useful for various purposes including stomach aches, diarrhea, anemia. But no organization is coming forward to preserve this plant. It seems that this plant is constantly moving towards extinction.

In this regard, it was not possible to get a statement from the officials of the district-upazila forest department, agriculture department and several other departments concerned despite repeated attempts on their mobile phones.