Alamin Hossain (12), a school student, runs his family by selling national flower Water lily at Chowgachha in Jashore.
Alamin Hossain, son of late Shamsul Alam of Muktdaha village in Patibila union of the upazila.
Alamin Hossain, a school student, who came to sell Water lily at the press club premises in Chougachha Bazar yesterday afternoon, said, "My father died long ago. Mother Jharna Begum works in people's homes. We are two brothers and two sisters. The two sisters are married. At present, there are two brothers and three mothers in the family. I’m providing extra money to the family by selling Water lily in different markets of the upazila."
Alamin said, "I sell these vegetables. Every morning, I go to his village beel to pick up water lily. Every day I can collect at least 100 to 120 rolls of Water lily. A roll of Water lily flowers is sold at Tk 10."
Not only in the village, but also in the city, the popularity of vegetables is increasing day by day. Water lily is found in canals, beels, ponds, ditches almost everywhere in the country. The children of many poor families of the upazila are raising this water lily to meet the needs of the family's vegetables as well as selling them in the market. Water lily does not only spread beauty; it also meets food needs. In the rainy season, Water lily has become one of the livelihoods of many families in this upazila. Although there is a demand for Water lily as a vegetable in many families here, due to pollution and decreasing water bodies, Water lily is no longer available as before.
Abdul Munnaf Kalu Mia of Tengurpur village in the upazila said that many Water lily blooms in our Boisagari canal and beel during the rainy season. This Water lily is available from Ashar to Ashwin month. There is also a huge demand for Water lily as a vegetable in this area. Many poor families run their families by selling Water lily.
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