Home ›› 08 Oct 2022 ›› Nation
Hundreds of pink water lily blossoms are adorning the water bodies of Barishal Bangabandhu Udyan this season, enchanting flocks of visitors.
As more and more tourists are swarming to the park on a regular basis to enjoy the eye-catching view, residents demand that the administration take more initiatives to beautify the city of Barishal.
There are two lakes in the park area– one on the east by the Kirtankhola River embankment and another on the southwestern side known as DC lake. Currently, only the eastern lake is full of pink water lily blossoms, but the deputy commissioner of Barishal has said the flowers will also be planted in the southwestern lake soon.
Bangabandhu Udyan, historically known as “Bell’s Park”, was originally established over a hundred years ago during British rule by the Kirtankhola River. The then District Magistrate Bitson Bell established an open park with an area of 9.47 acres on the embankment during the visit of Lieutenant Governor of Bengal Sir Alexander Mackenzie to the district in 1896.
The park is 550 feet in length and 450 feet in width excluding the lakes.
The park has been a witness to many historical events since its establishment. In 1972, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed the people of Barishal in this park. It has also garnered popularity as a venue for many political gatherings, fairs, cultural events, national day parades, etc.
In 1996, the park’s name was officially changed to Bangabandhu Udyan by the government. An open stage and a mural of Bangabandhu were constructed in 2011 to commemorate his speech at the park.
Various beautification projects have been implemented including walkways, street lamps, and tree plantations to improve the park in the last decade. As part of one such project, former Deputy Commissioner SM Ajior Rahman planted a handful of water lilies from Uzirpur upazila’s Shapla Beel.
In the first few years only a handful of water lilies had blossomed, but this year the flowers have almost covered the whole surface of the lake.
SM Ajior Rahman, currently serving as additional director general of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, said he took the initiative to acquaint the new generation with the national flower and to enhance the beauty of the park.
Dr Subrata Kumar Das, assistant professor of the Botany Department of Barishal University, said about 50-60 varieties of water lily can be found around the country. Depending on the variety, the flowers start blooming from late spring to early autumn.
“White water lilies bloom at night usually but pink water lily flowers last for three to four days each. The flowers are perfect for enhancing the beauty of any garden or park,” he said.
Barishal District Commissioner Jashim Uddin Haider said all kinds of visitors are enjoying the scenic beauty of water lily blossoms in the eastern lake of Bangabandhu Udyan.
“We have sent a proposal to implement more beautification projects in the city to the concerned ministry. We hope to take on more projects to boost the tourism aspects of our city,” he said.
