A few days back, I watched a movie called 'Tulip Fever'. It showed the history and atmosphere of the Tulip Mania Period that took place in The Netherlands during the 17th century. In the film 'Tulip Fever', I saw the excitement about the varieties of tulips. Tulip tree grows from a tulip bulb, just like an onion tree grows from an onion bulb. Auctions used to take place with tulip bulbs back then. At the auction, flower merchandisers earned a lot in a short time. On the other hand, the common flower farmers gained very little.

Since the Tulip Mania, people started trying to invent new varieties of tulip. In 2015, I visited the flower kingdom of The Netherlands, Keukenhof (kitchen garden). It is also known as the Garden of Europe and is world's one of the largest flower gardens, located in Lisse, South Holland. Approximately seven million flower bulbs are planted annually in the park on 32 hectares of land. I saw how flowers have changed their economy. How their lives have become colourful with the colours of flowers. Even now, almost 300 years after the Tulip Mania, plenty of research is being done on tulips. 

The history of commercial flower cultivation in Bangladesh is not very old. The revolution that began in Jhikorgachha of Jessore in the 80s, has now spread across the country. Earlier, neighbouring country India dominated the flower market.

I want to share a personal story with you. When I was getting married, my friend Nannu was an engineer at Bangladesh Biman. He used to regularly work on Dhaka-Calcutta flights. During that time, business of Hindi movies on VCRs was booming. In the movies, every wedding scene must have the bride and groom wearing flower garlands of tuberose and rose. Everyone loved this scene. And in our country, embroidered beads were exchanged. I told Nannu to bring two tuberose garlands from Calcutta for me and my wife. And so he did. With those two garlands, my wife and I did our exchange of garlands.

Forty years ago, flower cultivation was unbelievable in this country. In luxury, elite families used to keep flower trees in their courtyard or orchard. Some used to sell flowers in front of the High Court's main entry, near Curzon Hall. You could say that was the first flower market in Bangladesh. I remember, I used to write regularly on 'Shaptahik Robbar'. I wrote a feature on the flower market named 'High Court-e Moushumi Fuler Bahar'. Our friend, renowned entertainment journalist Abdur Rahman opened the first commercial flower shop named 'Pushpak' at Motijheel. Abdur Rahman's father, late Ali Ahmed, opened a seed shop named 'Dhaka Seed Store' at Rajuk Avenue of Motijheel, about seventy years ago. It was the first nursery and seed shop in Dhaka city, just for your information.

Later on flower markets started to develop gradually in Shahbagh area. The use of flowers also increased in social events. Bangladesh's the then President Hussain Muhammad Ershad is credited with the increase of the use of flowers across the country. He popularised the use of flowers in ceremonies and during exchange of greetings. Along with globalisation, flower is now a part of daily requirements. No festival or celebration is imaginable without flowers. It is also be4coming indispensable during exchange of greetings. So flower is now an important agricultural product.

You must remember Sher Ali Sardar. In 1983, Sher Ali Sardar was the first to cultivate tuberose on 30 acres of land at Godkhali, Jhikorgachha upazila of Jessore. Through this, flower cultivation and marketing started commercially in the country. Godkhali is now called 'The capital of flowers'. Field after field, there are many varieties of colourful flowers. According to Bangladesh Flower Society, five thousand farmers from 75 villages of Godkhali, are involved in flower production and marketing in Bangladesh. Flowers are grown commercially on about 12 thousand acres of land in 24 districts around the country. Nearly two million people are involved directly or indirectly with flower cultivation and business. Around 200 crore taka (23.5 million US$) yearly flower market has been created in the country. Apart from Jessore, flowers are cultivated commercially in Savar, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Satkhira, Cumilla and areas around Dhaka city.

I have seen this revolution of farmers in flower cultivation very closely. From BTV's 'Mati O Manush' (Soil & People), I have been making featured documentaries on the spread of flower cultivation at different times. The European flowers such as chrysanthemum, gerbera, carnation and tulip are being cultivated for the first time in Bangladesh. The main person credited for the cultivation and expansion of these flowers is a Belgian development worker John Paul Perin. My friendship with him grew while working with flowers.

Dear readers, you may have watched flower cultivation and its commercial activities from Netherlands' Keukenhof, FloraHolland, Royal Van Zanten on Hridoye Mati O Manush (Soil & People in Heart). Before that, in 2006, from Kunming of China, I presented the cultivation and commercial activities of gerbera flowers to you. I have even shown you the picture of large scale flower production in greenhouse from East African country Uganda. I have shown you Qatar's flower kingdom.

After all these years I have seen the reflection of these success stories at Nishinda village of Mymensing's Bhaluka. New Asia Group is cultivating gerbera flower in poly net house. I was impressed to see the huge flower cultivation in the net house at the village. It is very different from Godkhali's flower cultivation method. Farmers of Godkhali are cultivating flowers by adapting the technology of developed countries in their method with limited expenditure. But flower cultivation in Nishinda village fully follows the technology of developed countries with big investments. India is providing technical support for the flower production activities in the poly net house. Ten varieties of world famous gerbera are being cultivated in the net house. A modern agricultural donor agency from India is also supplying seedlings.

In August 2017, the construction of the net houses began. And already, each poly net house is filled with gerberas. They have already started marketing. This is not much different from Europe's well-planned and cool weather-adjustable poly net or greenhouse. However, it is more specialised and durable compared to the greenhouse made with local equipment in Bangladesh's flower capital, Godkhali, Jessore. There is the method of reducing temperatures in the net house. Similarly, there is a system to create steam with water. Even though it is a tropical area, modern gerbera field has been established very nicely here. The overall activities of this farm are being monitored by some excellent young people. After completing their studies, they are supervising this modern farm as corporate jobs.

After planning proper soil management, beds for flower cultivation have been prepared. There are 164 beds in each shed. Eye-catching gerbera of different colours are blossoming in each bed. If gerbera is cultivated under proper management, it yields in a few days. Here, after three months of greenhouse construction and planting, flower marketing started. Now, 11/12 thousand gerberas are going to the capital's Agargaon and Shahbagh flower markets every day. Mehedi Hasan, an executive of this organisation, says that the gerberas have stopped coming from China.

Greenhouse flower cultivation is new in this area. Even to local farmers and farm workers, it is a wonder. Local farmers are delighted to be involved in harvesting and marketing the flowers in three months of planned cultivation. They feel oneness with the flowers' fragrance. Alongside harvesting the flowers, modern packaging system is also important. Local women are involved with this work. They find it a great employment opportunity.

I am well aware that agriculture is changing worldwide. This change is happening in technology as well as in investment and business. Keeping pace with the developed world, industrial entrepreneurs are craving for expansion of commercial agriculture. These farm-fans have already made successful examples. This practice will expand in days to come. Through this, demand for chemical-free crops will be met. At the same time, export market will be created while meeting our own demand. We have already decreased our dependency on imported flowers. May be in a short time, we will be able to proceed towards making flowers a profitable export item. In this race of changed and the most advanced farming scenario, retaining the participation of the farmers and rural populace is the biggest challenge. We need to think about these matters from this very moment. Considering farmer's interest, the government and the organisations concerned should come forward and make a concrete future plan for flower farmers.