A life dedicated to nature
Nestled in Koitola village along the Kageshwari river emerges a mini forest out of nowhere. Spanning six bighas, this forest sits on land belonging to Akash Koli Das, an 80-year-old retired primary school teacher with a devotion to nature.
Akash has transformed his property into a bird sanctuary, a haven where the melodies of thousands of chirping birds resonate through the air.
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Akash has self-forested the entire land, while choosing a modest lifestyle in a tin-shed house for himself and his sister, Jhorna Das, aged 65.
Following the deaths of their parents, these siblings have devoted their inherited property in Pabna's Bera upazila to the embrace of nature.
"Most of my relatives migrated to India during the 1947 partition, but my father decided to remain here with his three children. My father and my younger brother died before the Liberation War. Since then, my sister and I have been living here, keeping the property, which now is a sanctuary for different types of birds," Akash said.
"Surrounded by birds and wild animals, we find comfort in their company," he added.
Asked why he did not settle for a family, he reluctantly said, "We came alone to this world. When we depart, we won't be able to take anything with us, everything will remain to this world. So, what is the point?"
After joining as a primary school teacher, Akash started forestation in his inherited property.
He planted an array of trees, including mango, jackfruit, guava, papaya, neem, debdaru and Indian persimmon (gaub), turning the area into a deep forest.
Soon birds started to throng the area and build their nests in the trees, he said. "Their chirping and tweeting transformed the area into a natural concerto of spontaneous composition," he added.
Birds love staying in trees, so around 1,000 types of trees, most of those wild varieties, were planted to provide the birds a sanctuary, he said, adding valuable trees were avoided so that no one tried to harm the forest out of greed.
"Many local birds, even bats, live here round the year while in winter thousands of migratory birds come here for safe shelter," Akash said.
"It is a sight to behold when the birds gather in my small forest on the bank of the Kageshwari. Sometimes, visitors come here to witness the amazing scene," he said.
Md Manik Hossain of Chakla village in the upazila, said, "Whenever I go to Koitola for any reason, I spend some time standing on the Kageshwari bridge near Akash Koli sir's house to observe the beauty of nature there."
Shibli Sadik, an expert on birds at Sheikh Kamal Wildlife Centre in Gazipur, said, "His noble way of living made a difference. He is an inspiration to anyone who cares about nature."
Banners and signboards marked the area beside the Kageshwari as "bird sanctuary", Sadik added.
Asked about his future plan, Akash said everything will remain as it is till his death. After that, the government may decide what will happen to the sanctuary.
"I don't need any materialistic success or fame in this regard. I just pray for the Almighty's blessings," he added.
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