Tree of life: The journey of baobab from Africa to Bangladesh
The baobab tree, which can live up to 2,000 years, is valued in Africa as a source of food, water, medicine and shelter for many species including humans. The introduction of this interesting species in new ecosystems like Bangladesh may help in its conservation
The year was 2013. As we were roaming in the backyard of Caritas Bangladesh's Dinajpur office and enjoying the greenery, one particular tree caught our eyes. I had never seen this tree in person before, but had no trouble recognising it. The trunk was thick and straight, but the canopy was not very wide.
"Oh, is that a baobab tree?!" I exclaimed and asked my companion. I saw it in pictures many times before, and one cannot miss its distinctive features. Of course, this particular tree in Dinajpur - which lives for thousands of years - was not fully grown, so it was missing many of those features.
Our confusions withered away as we found a plaque at the bottom of the tree with its name scribed on it. Although a bit weather-beaten, the name written in Bangla could be clearly read: Baobab.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Exotic trees are nothing new in Bangladesh where they are often met with criticism for not being environment and ecosystem friendly. The criticism is not misplaced, especially due to our love for commercial monoculture in ecologically critical areas including forestlands.
In spite of that, the sight of a baobab tree, which is native to Madagascar, mainland Africa and Australia, excited us. This iconic tree, often called a bottle tree, can live for up to 5,000 years, reach up to 30 metres high and an enormous 50 metres in circumference.
The largest succulent plant in the world, baobab can store tens of thousands of litres of water and conserve nutrients for extended periods of time, making the tree the camel of the plant world.
We couldn't help but wonder where these trees came from.
As we enquired, it turned out, Father Adolfo L'Imperio, an Italian missionary who served in Bangladesh for more than four decades, planted some of those.
"Father L'Imperio brought baobab fruits from Africa. He collected the seeds and planted them in Caritas Dinajpur, in a mission in Birganj, and in Birampur Mission," Ronjon J P Rozario, regional director of Dinajpur Caritas Region told The Business Standard.
"The tree in Birampur was later cut down but the others are still there," he further informed us.
TBS could not talk to Father L'Imperio as he passed away in Italy in 2021. Starting from 1972, he served as the first regional director of Caritas Dinajpur, one of the eight regional branches of Catholic charity.
This was probably the first time baobab was introduced in Bangladesh, but not the last time.
Usually, an alien plant species is not necessarily harmful to an ecosystem until planted in huge numbers in monoculture. Many alien plants have also been naturalised in Bangladesh without posing any threat to native biodiversity.
In the early 2000s, an army officer on the way back from his peace mission tour in Africa, brought 18 baobab seedlings and gave them to renowned nature writer and activist Mokarram Hossain. Mokarram distributed the seedlings to different institutions and individuals.
"It is hard to tell who first brought baobab to Bangladesh. We can find three baobab trees in Ramna Park, which were planted quite a while ago, but the date is not written anywhere," Mokarram told us.
"There is one in the Dhaka University campus, which was one of the 18 seedlings that an army officer gave me around 18 years back. I can't even remember the donor's name," he said.
"The one on the DU campus is doing great. The trees in Ramna have not grown well, but they flower every monsoon. There was another around Dhanmondi 9/A, which was probably cut down. I also remember giving away one to the Jashore Education Board office. I don't know the whereabouts of other seedlings. It was fairly long ago," added the naturalist.
Shajib Borman, another plant enthusiast and bamboo expert, told TBS that there are two baobab trees: one in Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, and another in National Botanical Garden in Dhaka.
Also, there is at least one in Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University in Dinajpur.
Environmental impact
Mokarram Hossain said that baobab was introduced in Bangladesh as an ornamental plant, and its impact has not been observed systematically.
Usually, an alien plant species is not necessarily harmful to an ecosystem until planted in huge numbers in monoculture. Many alien plants have also been naturalised in Bangladesh without posing any threat to native biodiversity.
Baobab was also introduced to India in the mediaeval age by Arab traders. The tree grows well in different parts of the country, and is regarded well as a source of ayurvedic medicine. Oil extracted from its seeds is said to cure eczema and psoriasis and some parts are prescribed as a cure to diarrhoea and dysentery.
In Africa, baobab is valued as a source of food, water, medicine and shelter for many species including humans, hence called the 'tree of life'. Carbon-dating of some specimens of this tree has shown them to be over 2,000 years old. The prehistoric species predates both the birth of human species and the splitting of the continents over 200 million years ago.
However, some of the oldest specimens have died since 2005 or suffered collapse which scientists regard as unusual and a possible impact of climate change. The introduction of this interesting species in new ecosystems like Bangladesh may help in its conservation.
