Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) is taking up a tree-planting programme in the city to tackle the effects of climate change and build a green city. Under the programme, the mayor announced that five lakh trees would be planted in the city.

City mayor Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury made the announcement while opening the programme by planting trees in the Binnaghas project area at Tigerpass on Monday (8 July) afternoon.

The mayor said the environment must be protected by planting trees in a planned way. Tree planting is essential to protect the environment and halt climate change, today the most discussed issue in the world, he said.

"Just as we have hurt the environment, the environment is behaving hostilely towards us, resulting in extreme drought and excessive rain. To keep the environment in balance we must create forests. To that end, along with the tree-planting programme, we have taken the initiative to distribute five lakh saplings free to students of the city's schools and colleges," he said.

Each councillor was also given 5,000 saplings to plant in their own ward. The mayor believes the city can be made green by carrying out the programme.

CCC chief executive officer Sheikh Muhammad Tauhidul Islam, panel mayor Mohammad Gias Uddin, councillors Abdus Salam Masum and Abul Hasnat Md Belal, secretary Md Ashraful Amin, the mayor's private secretary Muhammad Abul Hashem, chief education officer Mohammad Saiful Islam, chief accounts officer Humayun Kabir Chowdhury, malaria and mosquito control officer Shariful Islam Mahi, deputy chief conservancy officer Morshedul Alam Chowdhury and slum development officer Mainul Hossain Joy were among those present.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.