Before sunrise cuts through the winter fog, South Char Darbesh Adarsha village in Sonagazi Upazila of Feni comes alive with streams of visitors. Some on motorbikes, others by van or on foot, gather around date palm groves to savour fresh sap, turning the quiet village into a bustling winter marketplace.
Locals say the arrival of winter transforms the area into a vibrant hub for date palm sap trading. Every day, hundreds of people drink the sap on the spot and carry bottles home.
A local sap trader and grove owner Md Dulal said he leases around 300 date palm trees for sap collection. Daily sales from the harvest bring in about Tk40,000 to Tk50,000, with a net profit of Tk10,000 to Tk15,000 after expenses.
“I take online orders and deliver sap across Feni town and nearby areas,” he said. “I sell sap at Tk90 to Tk100 per litre. I also sell handmade molasses at Tk400 per kilogram. The sap season brings good income.”
Another trader, Md Nasir, who owns about 60 date palm trees, said he sells sap worth Tk5,000 to Tk7,000 a day. He sells molasses at Tk400 to Tk500 per kilogram.
“Winter is our most reliable time,” he said. “Income from sap and molasses supports our families during the season.”
Local youth Saddam Hossain said he owns around 100 date palm trees, generating roughly Tk10,000 a day from sap sales.
“People start gathering as soon as it’s dawn,” he said. “Some drink the sap here, others take it home. The whole area has now become a business centre.”
Visitors, too, share the excitement. Naim, who travelled from Feni town, said he set out at 3am just to taste the fresh sap.
“You don’t get this flavour anywhere else,” he said.
Manik from Chhagalnaiya said visiting the village has become a winter ritual. “Drinking warm sap in the fog has a charm of its own,” he added.
Rajib from Fulgazi said he and his friends often arrive at dawn. “The sap here is pure. Even if it’s tiring, it’s worth it,” he said.
Rahul, who came from Feni Sadar, said he travelled a long distance and planned to take sap home as well.
Residents say the sap trade has created new employment opportunities. Many young people now collect sap from traders and sell it online, creating a dependable seasonal income during winter.
Taken together, the foggy winter mornings, the aroma of fresh sap, and the steady flow of visitors have turned South Char Darbesh Adarsha village into a popular destination. Blending nature, tradition and hard work, the village now stands as a lively symbol of how heritage and commerce can thrive side by side in rural Feni.
