Lilium, a winter-flowering plant native to colder regions, is captivating people with its vibrant colors and sweet fragrance. While this flower is commonly found in foreign gardens, it is proving to be adaptable to Bangladesh's climate.

In fact, Lilium flowers bloom here in half the time it takes in its native colder regions, marking a new agricultural opportunity in the country.

In Garfa village of Bagerhat's Mollahat upazila, Lilium cultivation has been successfully initiated by young entrepreneur and engineer Faisal Ahmed. After experimenting with the cultivation of Lilium flowers in his own nursery, Faisal has succeeded in growing the flowers, and now aims to contribute to the country's agricultural economy by expanding the cultivation of Lilium.

Inspired by the flower's beauty, local residents have begun to dream of growing Lilium commercially. The Department of Agriculture also sees potential in spreading Lilium cultivation across Bangladesh.

Faisal Ahmed shared that he has a keen interest in learning about new ventures, which led him to discover Lilium flowers through YouTube and social media.

Drawn to the flower's appeal, fragrance, and commercial demand, Faisal decided to embark on the journey of cultivating Lilium in Bangladesh. To begin, he contacted "Lal Teer," a seed production company, to obtain Lilium bulbs from the Netherlands.

With their support, he received 200 bulbs of two Lilium varieties, which he planted in his nursery for experimental cultivation.

According to Faisal, while Lilium is traditionally grown in colder climates with temperatures of around 2-3°C, he managed to grow the flowers in his nursery under temperatures ranging from 33-35°C. Surprisingly, the flowers bloomed in just 33 days-much faster than the usual 65-70 days.

Some plants even produced up to seven flowers each. These flowers, with their pale yellow hues, need to be harvested in their bud stage, and they can remain fresh for up to a month in a vase, filling the air with their fragrance.

Faisal noted that there is a strong demand for Lilium flowers in Bangladesh's flower markets. In Dhaka, each flower sells for Tk 300-350 at retail.

The sight of foreign Lilium flowers in Faisal's nursery has sparked interest among local farmers, many of whom are now eager to start cultivating Lilium themselves. Faisal also expressed his desire to create more entrepreneurs in the area through this venture.

Md. Mehedi Hasan, a nursery owner from Udaypur village, was deeply impressed by Faisal's foreign Lilium flowers. He noted that the fragrance and visual appeal of these flowers were unlike anything he had seen before.

Inspired by the Lilium flowers, he is now preparing to cultivate them in his own nursery, having already set aside five katha land for the venture.

Nayeem Chowdhury, a student from Mollahat upazila, who visited Faisal's nursery to see the flowers, expressed his amazement. "I have never seen such beautiful flowers before. They are truly captivating," he said, adding that he now plans to try his hand at Lilium cultivation in the future.

Md. Zunnun Rahman, Regional Manager of "Lal Teer Seed Limited" in the Khulna Division, explained that the company imports Lilium bulbs from the Netherlands.

They provided free bulbs to 15 entrepreneurs for experimental cultivation and helped establish demonstration plots in 11 districts. Faisal Ahmed received 200 bulbs for Lilium cultivation in Bagerhat and was provided with technical support to ensure the success of his venture.

Zunnun Rahman emphasized that there is a growing demand for Lilium both in Bangladesh and abroad. The company is working to connect local entrepreneurs with wholesale flower buyers to help market their flowers. He believes that cultivating foreign Lilium flowers in Bangladesh could have a significant positive impact on the local economy.

Dr. Farzana Nasreen Khan, Head of the Flower Department at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), noted that Lilium flowers are typically grown in colder regions. She mentioned that BARI was the first to begin research on Lilium cultivation in Bangladesh.

According to her, there are two main varieties of Lilium: the Oriental variety, which has a stronger fragrance, and the Asiatic variety, which has a milder scent.

BARI is currently producing Lilium bulbs and providing entrepreneurs with all necessary information on bulb production and storage.

Shankar Kumar Majumdar, Deputy Director of the Bagerhat Agricultural Extension Department, stated that training new entrepreneurs and providing them with proper guidance would be essential for the widespread cultivation of Lilium in the country.

He emphasized that with government support, new entrepreneurs could emerge, contributing to the economic benefits of commercial Lilium cultivation in Bangladesh.