are in danger
Why the dates of Jashore are in danger
In Jashore's Khajura area, dozens of date palm trees sway gently in the winter wind.
A fearless Faisal prepares to scale few such trees with extension buckets to bring down the fruit of his labour -- date sap that's taken fresh or processed into jaggery, a winter delicacy in Bangladesh.
But this date palm climber, who does his job with deceptive ease using only a rope-like harness looped around his feet, does not want his children to learn his rare skills.
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"Already many date farmers have sold their trees due to scarcity of climbers. We want our children to study and bag a decent job," says Faisal. "Of course, some did sell their trees to fight poverty."
Also, with the number of trees declining in the district, another climber Sadiq Hossain says the dictum -- Jashorer josh, khejurer rosh" (Jashore's pride is its date syrup) -- may soon become a proverb of the past.
"Two decades ago, this area was dotted with date trees. Over these 20 years, the situation has changed. Date palm syrup is increasingly becoming scarce," he claims.
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