At the end of the Bengali month of Chaitra, silk cotton fibers (Shimul Tula) drift through the air, painting nature in shades of red and white. Along the Marine Drive Road in Cox’s Bazar, especially near the museum village area, silk cotton trees are now laden with fruit. As the pods burst open, soft white fibers scatter like clouds, once an integral part of rural life.
Local resident Abdul Majid said that although shimul tula trees were once abundant across villages, their numbers have significantly declined. Some people still plant these trees mainly to collect the fibers, which are soft and widely used to make quilts, mattresses, and pillows, especially in rural areas.
In the past, the silk cotton tree was valued not only for its fiber but also for its wood. It was widely used in making matchsticks. However, with the availability of modern timber and changing market demands, the importance of this traditional tree has gradually diminished.
Despite environmental changes, the silk cotton tree still survives. Yet, due to a lack of awareness and interest, its numbers are decreasing day by day. There was a time when comfortable sleep in rural households was unimaginable without pillows filled with silk cotton. Today, that demand has also declined.
Still, during this time of the year, the drifting silk fibers gently remind people of a nostalgic bond with nature from the past.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Hussain Shet
