Gautama Buddha, the spiritual leader of the Buddhists, attained enlightenment in 600 BC under a sacred fig tree in Bodhgaya, which later became known as the Bodhi Tree, or the Tree of Enlightenment.

Buddha is referred to have been sitting underneath a Bodhi Tree when he was enlightened (Bodhi).

Buddhananda Thero, deputy chief abbot, IBM, said that officially this is the second Bodhi tree in the city. The first one is planted in the Buddhist monastery in Kamalapur.

"Bodhi tree is a special banyan tree under which Gautama Buddha attained Buddhatta. The original Bodhi tree is in Bodhgaya in India from which we collect saplings following scientific method," said Thero.

After his Enlightenment, Buddha spent a whole week staring at the Bodhi tree, gazing at it with gratitude. For another week he walked around the tree. A shrine was later erected on the spot where he stood, said Thero.

In 2004, Indian government arranged International Buddhist Conclave, a conference of Buddhist priests. Buddhist leaders from 27 countries attended the conference where President APJ Abul Kalam of India and Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader and statesman were chief guests. Twenty-nine Buddhist priests attended the conference from Bangladesh.

The sapling was given to Sangharaj Dharmasen Mahathera, the highest Buddhist priest of Bangladesh by President Kalam.

After getting the sapling Mahathera said that as he had received the sapling from the president of India he would prefer it to be planted by the president of Bangladesh, conveyed Thero.

"After getting the sapling we waited for three years for President Iajuddin Ahmed but he could not come due to his busy schedule. But this year on the day of Buddha Purnima he planted the tree. In the last three years we preserved the sapling in a tub and later in a big drum," said Thero.

The Bodhi Tree, which belongs to the Sacred Figs, is sacred to Hindus, Jains and Buddhists therefore its scientific name is or Ficus religiosa. It is also known as Bo, Pipul (Peepal) or Ashwattha trees. Its leaves are heart shaped with a distinctive extended tip. Its fruit is a green ripening purple.

In 288 BC, Indian Emperor Ashoka gave a graft of that tree to the king of Sri Lanka. That tree is still alive today, and ceremoniously worshipped in Sri Lanka.

When the original Bodhi Tree died in Bodhgaya, a graft from the Sri Lanka tree was planted in its place. Thus the living link of Buddha's Tree of Enlightenment was maintained through the use of grafting.

Other holy Bodhi trees which have a great significance in the history of Buddhism are the Anandabodhi tree in Sravasti and the Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka.