There have been allegations of fraud in the name of tickets of the unauthorized 'Darjipara Tulip Association' to see the 'Tulip Flower Cultivation Project' located in Tentulia Sadar Union of Panchagarh. Tourists who came to see foreign tulip flowers raised this complaint. Tourists have expressed their anger at buying tickets at high prices.
It can be seen and known on the surface, this tulip flower has been cultivated for the second time in the upazila with the help of Palli Karma Sahajik Foundation (PKSF) and the implementation of Eco-Social Development Organization. Last year, eight marginal women farmers started cultivating 40,000 tulips experimentally in two villages of Darjipara-Sharialjot.
This is the second time that 20 farmers have cultivated this foreign flower. Due to the creation of tulip gardens in the tourist area, the attraction of tourism has also increased. Tourists are coming from different parts of the country and abroad to see this tulip. Someone is taking pictures. Someone else is buying flowers. Last January 10, one lakh tulip flower bulbs were planted. Flower buds appear after 15-16 days of planting. Flowering starts within 20-24 days. Most of the trees are in bloom. In a few days the rest of the plants will also flower.
A tourist who came from Rangpur said that about 300 of them have come to Tentulia to see these tulip flowers. He lamented and said, 'It becomes difficult for those of us who are coming with 8/10 families, if the ticket price was Tk 20-25 then it would have been adjusted for everyone. And it seems to me that it's getting tough for everyone. If this matter is looked into by the authorities, it will be a better place to visit. And people will not think that it becomes more than 50 taka just to see flowers.
We are coming from Rangpur, about 300 of us are coming from Rangpur, but after that we will not send anyone, if it remains like this.'
It is known that ESDO is earning an average of Tk 20,000 per day by selling entry tickets to tourists.
Rabiul Islam, the ticket seller, said that last year, this tulip flower was cultivated in three places. Now, 20 members from ESDO have done this tulip flower cultivation project in one place. He said that twenty members have given one lakh and twenty lakh rupees each to the Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) Tentulia authorities.
They are selling these tickets to cover their hard work and expenses for two months. When asked who gave the order to take money on this ticket, he said, ESDO. Is it necessary to pay someone who shares this money? When asked, he said, they (entrepreneurs) do the distribution themselves. He also said that tickets are being taken for a week, and an average of around 20,000 taka is being collected. This activity will last 30-35 days.
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Manowara said, they (entrepreneurs) have given Tk 22 lakh to Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) Tentulia authorities. He also said that through their tulip flower orders, they are selling as many as they can from Tk 100 per flower in different districts. But locals sell each flower for 50-100 rupees.Meanwhile, ESDO program deputy coordinator and project coordinator. Ainul Haque said, farmers paid 55 rupees to bring a bulb or seed from the Netherlands. In total, their hard work cost was 100 rupees last time and now it has been reduced to 50 rupees. Since we are cultivating tulip commercially, Thakurgaon Sadar UNO and Thakurgaon DC sir and Tentulia UNO sir were asking to take 150 rupees. We made 50 rupees without doing that.
Director of Eco-Social Development Organization Dr. Selima Akhtar spoke to journalists working in the district and upazila about the project on Tuesday. He said and was also published in various print and electronic journals. It is said that 80 lakh rupees have been spent on tulip cultivation. This cost is due to cost of bulbs or saplings, shade nets, fencing nets, chemical fertilizers, biofertilizers, pesticides and labor.
Upazila Cooperative Officer Farooq Hossain said that no approval was given in the name of Darjipara Tulip Society.
In this regard, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sohag Chandra Saha said that ESDO has spent a lot on tulip project. However, he wanted to see the ticket price considering the tourists.
