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Have you ever visited a place teeming with various greenery—a kingdom of flowering plants, fruit trees, ornamental plants, and more? It could be described as a mini jungle.
Every year, on Environment Day, June 5, the Bangladesh government organizes this tree fair during the monsoon season. This year's theme is 'We plant trees and take care, build a country of healthy generation.' This initiative aims to acquaint people with the trees, encourage planting trees, and facilitate in-person knowledge sharing with experts.
Entry to the fair is free, with a complimentary car parking facility. Many people are stopping by the fair after work, getting lost in the sea of green, and leaving with plants in hand or loaded in their car, ready to adorn their balconies or rooftops.
There are public and private institutions and nurseries with around one hundred stalls. Most have their nurseries in Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, Tongi, and the outskirts of Dhaka city—this year's fair features over 200 domestic and foreign fruit species, forest, and ornamental trees. You'll find flowering plants, vegetables, fruits, ornaments, fertilizers, pesticides, potted and unpotted plants, and imported and local varieties. In addition, seeds, soil, tubs, landscape designs, and various furniture for plants are available. It's a one-stop shop for gardeners.
If you plan to start or expand a nursery or have ample space for planting trees, this fair is perfect for you. Since it's the Bengali' modhu mash,' you'll see mangoes, jackfruits, and lychees on the trees and various mango, orange, guava, amlaki, and chalta species.
Though few people are as lucky as having a courtyard, such plants are brought mainly by professionals or companies.
An older woman bought a sajna tree, mehendi tree, brinjal, lemon, and other vegetable saplings, a total of a carat for her rooftop garden.
The fair is also the best place for ornamental plants. You'll find unique species of flowering, cactus, and leafy plants in quality and quantity. Bonsai enthusiasts will be delighted with banyan, Krishnochura, magnolia, kamini, bonsai ficus, pakur bot, and many more.
You can find bonsai of banyan trees, jade plants, and bougainvillaea. Bonsai prices range from 1,000 to 20 thousand taka, with some costing up to 100 thousand or 1 lac. A date tree from an original Saudi Arabian species is priced at 1.20 million takas.
Many indoor varieties, such as aglaonema, Monstera Deliciosa, Calathea, Philodendron, and Air plants, are popular houseplant choices. No matter if they are pricey, but are top-sold. Because they are scarce in the usual nurseries and cost much more.
Many common plants are artistically decorated with twisted branches, giving them a unique look.
Various orchid species with colourful flowers are available, costing between 800 and 8 8,000 takas per plant. Rare imported plants can also be found here.
A couple of avid plant enthusiasts shared, "We buy a lot of plants despite limited space. The fair makes us want to buy everything we see, but most plants are expensive!"
Shegufa Eram, who works in a private company, came to the fair with her 3-year-old toddler. She said, "My son rarely gets a glimpse of greenery in the city, so I brought him to see it. Besides, the fair is beautifully decorated with plants and fountains, and my toddler greatly enjoys it."
You can also find planting tubs made of plastic, clay, and ceramic, as well as decorative plant stands, wall hangings, and hanging decorative tubs made from cane and bamboo to beautify your home. There is neem oil, khoil, coco dust, coco poles, medicines and many other accessories for the tree plantation.
A shop owner from Savar mentioned that 1,500 to 2,500 visitors come to the fair daily, with crowds peaking in the evenings and on weekends. Roof garden and house decoration plants are trendy.
The Environment Fair occurred at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar from June 5 to June 11. However, the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair-2024 began on June 5 and will continue until July 13. The fairs are open daily from 9 am to 8 pm.