Photo: BSS

KHULNA, July 28, 2026 (BSS) – The ongoing tree fair is gaining momentum at Khulna Circuit House Ground in the city.

A large number of tree lovers thronged the fair on Monday, while nursery owners turned the venue into a colourful display of various local and foreign plant varieties.

The month-long tree fair, which began on July 11, aims to promote tree plantation and environmental awareness among the younger generation.

According to the fair’s control room, this year’s event features 62 participating organisations, including 10 government agencies.

The fair remains open daily from 9am, and entry is free. It has already recorded significant sales of saplings.

Khulna district administration and the Sundarban West Forest Department jointly organised the fair.

As of Monday, a total of 37,570 saplings of different species worth around Tk 54,27,620 had been sold.

This year, various rare varieties of tree saplings are attracting city dwellers.

A rare medicinal tree sapling named the 'Corossol Tree', which is believed to have cancer-preventive properties, and another rare variety called 'Ghugu Pakhi' are being sold every day.

Another rare variety, 'Star Jui', has drawn the attention of tree lovers. The price of the plant is Tk 15,000. Among the plants, mango saplings are selling the most. Housewives are showing particular interest in fruit and flower plants suitable for tubs.

Urban planters and gardeners are showing interest in dwarf varieties of plants, especially early-fruiting saplings.

The stalls at the fair have been decorated with fruit, flower and orchid plants, adding a touch of nature to the city's concrete landscape.

"The price of each plant that bears fruit throughout the year ranges from Tk 800 to Tk 1,500," Abu Masud, owner of Dalia Nursery, told BSS, adding that he had brought different varieties of fruit plants mainly targeting urban gardeners.

He is also displaying moringa plants of different sizes and ages at his stall. He collected seeds of a moringa plant from India and used them to produce saplings.

Sithi Islam, a housewife from the city's Nirala area, told BSS, "I have bought a moringa plant, a Japanese cherry flower plant and different varieties of rose plants. Every year, I buy fruit and flower plants for my rooftop garden."

Farzana Mithila, a housewife from the city's Hazi Mohsin Road area, said, "I have bought some fruit and flower plants, along with three lojjaboti saplings from the nursery."

Md Zakir Hossain, duty officer at the fair’s control room, told BSS that law enforcement agencies had taken adequate measures to ensure security for traders, visitors and buyers.

The tree fair, which attracts nature enthusiasts, has been organised annually in Khulna for about a decade, he said.