Fruit Talk

Marzan Jamia

Contrary to the ruthless summer heat, the cool and delicious bursts of flavors from seasonal fruits is what makes Bangladesh feel like it’s nothing short of being a paradise. Being a subtropical country favorable to agriculture, farmers grow all kinds of fruits, starting from Jackfruits, our national fruit, to mangoes, pineapples, litchis, watermelons, bananas, grapes, papayas, and many, many others. Now, homegrown strawberries and blueberries seem to always end up in our shopping carts when we’re out for a fruit run, as well.

The sweet and thirst quenching coconut water, mainly harvested in the floodplain of the rural landscape of the Meghna river, tends to save lives, protecting people from heat strokes, and the likes of dehydration. Geographically being riverine, Padma, Jamuna, Meghna, Titas, and all other rivers together, make Bangladesh the ultimate fruit haven, under the scorching sun of summer.

From children to grown-ups, there are very few people who might resist chomping on fruits, despite their very temping aroma. Fruits are indulged also in the form of smoothies and fancy dishes, for example, in the form of the famous mango sticky rice, originally a part of the Thai cuisine.  Speaking of mangoes, the fruit is not just enjoyed during summer but consumed all year round, and even imported to our neighboring countries.

The rainbow adornment of the fruit market is also due to local fruits such as litchi, jackfruit, and of course, watermelons, a big source of which is the Badamtoli Ghat. If the place is visited, people can see boats full of watermelons ready to make the journey to the other side of the river; it is a sight worthy of being captured and documented, as a memoir, in their travel journals.

Farming in Bangladesh is no longer limited to rural men in their loincloths, toiling for a decent meal. It’s a profession that people have grown to respect, understanding the sheer importance of it. Strawberries, which used to be only available for people who could afford to travel to a place where they were grown, are now cultivated in places like Tangail; all because much research and thought has been put into the expansion of agriculture in our country. Home grown strawberries are being imported abroad, while people in the country drool over the delicious strawberry bhortas.

These fruits are coming to us from all over the country, but unfortunately, by the time they reach us, these beautiful tales of nurturing and hard work, gets coated by a thick layer of chemicals like formalin. So, here’s an idea, why don’t you take a trip down to these scenic places and grab the fruits yourself? Before any sort of adulteration has managed to steal away its nutrients?

Through Tiger Tours Limited, unlock the beauty of Bangladesh with trips that not only promise safety, but guarantee tons of fun, and memories to be cherished for a lifetime; they promise you a perfect summer if you’re willing to find it.