Father Plants 21,000 Palmyra Palm Seeds Across Chattogram to Prevent Lightning Fatalities
Witnessing a fatal lightning strike claim a teenager's life before his very eyes on an October afternoon in 2021 prompted a grief-stricken father in Chattogram to launch an extraordinary environmental and safety crusade. Abdul Sobur, an approximately 40-year-old motor workshop owner residing in the coastal Gohira area of Raipur Union under Anwara Upazila, has personally funded and planted 21,000 palm seeds across various parts of the upazila to mitigate the lethal risks of lightning strikes, setting an ambitious target of planting 30,000 seeds in total.
Recalling the harrowing incident on the afternoon of October 15, 2021, Sobur said he had gone to a local sea beach to fetch his son, Mohammad Aryan, who was playing football with friends as sudden squalls and rain set in. Right before his eyes, a bolt of lightning struck and killed his son's friend, Mohammad Forkan, leaving both Sobur and his son deeply traumatized. Driven by a desire to prevent similar tragedies, Sobur later learned that tall palm trees help reduce lightning hazards, inspiring him to initiate his sweeping plantation drive along village roads.
Sobur finances the entire endeavor out of his own pocket, procuring seeds priced between three to five takas each from fruit wholesale markets in Chattogram city and nurseries in Gazipur district. Last year, he purchased and planted 13,000 palm seeds, though about half failed to sprout due to a lack of proper planting knowledge. Determined to succeed, he launched this year's phase during the first week of the current month and has already planted 8,000 seeds, bringing his cumulative total to 21,000.
Bainyar Dighi Road accompanied by roughly eight local teenage volunteers who assist with digging and planting, Sobur noted that local youths have gradually warmed up to his mission despite initial skepticism. Alongside palm trees, he plans to introduce medicinal trees across Raipur Union this year, pledging to sustain his self-funded campaign indefinitely.
Local authorities and environmental experts have lauded the grassroots initiative. Sarwar Alam, Anwara Upazila sub-assistant plant conservation officer, observed that palm trees are particularly effective at reducing lightning risks while playing a vital role in balancing the ecosystem and combating global climate change. Alok Pal, a professor in the Geography and Environmental Studies Department at the University of Chattogram, explained that while the lightning-blocking efficacy of palm trees is not heavily proven by strict science, their height and structural traits make them helpful buffers, often providing roadside shelter and correlating with lower lightning fatality rates in areas where they stand. Anwara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Mohin Uddin hailed the roadside palm planting as an exceptional undertaking that protects human lives and the environment, emphasizing that widespread participation in such positive works drives societal transformation.
