‘Mujib Year’: 1cr saplings to be planted Jun 5

The government will plant around one crore of saplings across the country on June 5 next, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

M Shahab Uddin, minister of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, came up with the information at a function organized at the Secretariat here on Monday.

The minister said, “It is necessary to plant more trees in order to protect our existence including the control of our environmental pollution. As a part of one-year celebration of birth centenary of Bangabandhu, we will plant one crore (10 million) saplings across the country on June 5.”

The saplings will be planted simultaneously at 482 upazilas across the country on the day, the minister said.

Shahab requested the forest department to reclaim the forests’ land and build new forestry to maintain ecological balance saying, “Trees protect us from natural disasters”.

Strict laws would be imposed to maintain the forest areas in the country he said, adding, around 350 brick fields have been demolished in the last one year in a bid to keep ecological balance.

According to the High Court order, the rate of using polythene and single-use plastic products will be brought to the zero percent, he said.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a farewell programme of former secretary of the ministry Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury and reception of newly joined secretary Ziaul Ahsan at the conference room of the ministry at Secretariat here.

Deputy Minister of the ministry Habibun Nahar, Chairman of the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation Muhammed Ahsanul Jabbar, Chief Conservator of Forests at Bangladesh Forest Department Mohammed Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, Director General of Department of environment AKM Rafique Ahammed, among others, were present.

Dhaka/Naymuddin/AI