Saplings of two famous mango varieties planted

President Abdul Hamid plants a mango sapling in the orchard of the Bangabhaban yesterday. Director and Head of News of Channel i Shykh Seraj, second from left, was present on the occasion among others. The plantation was part of an initiative of Channel i's agro-documentary Hridoye Mati O Manush to revive and preserve ancient and rare crop and fruit varieties. Photo: Star

For the very first time, the famous Haribhanga and Surjopuri mango saplings were planted on the compound of the Bangabhaban yesterday.
With the initiative of Hridoye Mati O Manush, President Advocate Abdul Hamid planted the mango saplings in the Bangabhaban orchard, says a press release.
Director and Head of News of Channel i Shykh Seraj, farmer-organiser Rafiqul Islam from Natore, and high officials of the Bangabhaban were present at the event.
Haribhanga and Surjopuri are generally late mango varieties whose sweet fruits arrive when other varieties go out of orchards and markets, thus being profitable for farmers. Haribhanga is grown in Rangpur and Surjopuri in the greater Dinajpur as people say.
These two varieties are gradually spreading in the orchards across the country. However, there is the existence of mother plant of Shurjopuri variety in Thakurgaon district's Baliadanga upazila.
Channel i's most popular agro-documentary Hridoye Mati O Manush has been working to revive and preserve the ancient and rare crop and fruit varieties and work for their extension among farmers.
After the  event, Shykh Seraj presented one of his recently published books, "Krishi O Unnayan Chinta", a special DVD of Channel i's popular Eid entertainment-based farmers' game show, "Krishoker Eid Ananda", to President Abdul Hamid.