Photo : BSS

By Mahamudur Rahman Nazid

DHAKA, May 16, 2025 (BSS) – In the heart of Dhaka, where greenery offers a rare respite from the city’s chaos, Ramna Park stands as a sanctuary for thousands seeking tranquility. 

Within its nursery, a small pond now bursts into life, adorned with delicate lotus flowers in shades of white and pink. Floating serenely among lush leaves, these blossoms add to the park’s charm, reminding visitors of nature’s quiet elegance amid the urban rush. 

According to Wikipedia, the lotus flower is a perennial aquatic plant with a tuber-like structure. It propagates through tubers. Although the leaves float on the water, their tubers or roots remain under the water. 

The plant grows as the water level increases. The leaves are quite large, thick, round and green in color. The petioles of the leaves are quite long, and the inner part is mostly hollow. There are numerous small holes in the inner part of the flower head. 

The flowers are large in size and are made up of numerous soft petals. The flowers face upwards, with pollen located in the middle. The blooming fresh flowers have a sweet fragrance. 

As the intensity of the sun increases, the flowers shrink and later, when the intensity of the sun decreases, the flower blooms again. The blooming flowers spread their beauty for quite a long time. 

The color of the lotus flower is mainly a mixture of red, white and pink. Moreover, various species of lotus flowers can be seen. Among them, there are red, white and blue flowers.

Lotus flowers can be seen blooming in the water of almost all natural reservoirs of Bangladesh, such as haors, canals, rills and lakes. Flowering begins during the rainy season. However, the flowers bloom in large quantities in autumn and continue until the late autumn. The colorful appearance of the blooming flowers is a feast for the eyes.

Md Robin, a visitor to the park from Sadarghat, said, "I never thought I would see lotus flowers in the city. I saw them at my grandparents' house when I was a child. Today, I saw them again when I came to Ramna. It really seems to be a treat for the eyes. We want more such flowers to be in Ramna Park.”

Professor Dr Shahriar Ahmmed, Chairman of Department of Botany at Jagannath University, said this flower usually grows in rural wetlands and natural reservoirs. 

However, lotus flowers in the middle of the city, especially in places like Ramna Park, are a great initiative, he said, adding that this proves that it is possible to preserve and enjoy natural beauty even within the mechanical life of the city.

Shahriar Ahmmed explained that lotus roots or tubers are deeply embedded in clay, and as a terrestrial aquatic plant, its growth is entirely dependent on water depth, light, and soil quality.
 
Beyond its visual appeal, the lotus also serves an educational purpose— helping children and teenagers reconnect with nature in the urban landscape, he opined.

Additionally, this initiative plays a crucial role in promoting biodiversity conservation within the city, he added.