Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages recently held a tree-planting and environmental awareness programme in cooperation with the Mymensingh divisional office of the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Forest Department. More than 20,000 saplings were handed to institutions in Mymensingh division through the programme, which is expected to benefit more than 40,000 local people.

Tackling climate change is an important challenge for Bangladesh too. Against this background, Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages Limited is working towards sustainability targets through long-term programmes such as net-zero carbon emissions, water stewardship and World Without Waste.

As part of this, the tree-planting and awareness programme was held to mark Environment Day. The theme of this year's national tree-planting programme and National Environment and Tree Fair 2023 is "Plant trees and care for them, build a country of healthy generations".

Mymensingh divisional forest officer A N M Abdul Wadud said the Forest Department welcomes the initiative taken by Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages, under a public-private partnership, to mark the tree-planting drive and distribute saplings at institutions in Mymensingh district on the eve of International Environment Day and the National Tree Plantation Campaign 2023. If other corporate organisations and wealthy individuals contribute to such work, he said, public awareness of tree planting will grow and this kind of social movement will become sustainable.

Praising the event, Dilruba Ahmed, director of the DoE's Mymensingh divisional office, said it is our responsibility to build a safe world for future generations. Under the timely and far-sighted leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she said, the government has taken several landmark steps to protect the environment and deal effectively with the impact of climate change, and is working sincerely to implement them. The government plans to move from a digital to a smart Bangladesh by 2041, and environmental protection has been given importance there too.

She added that it is truly commendable that Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages is joining this national effort as a partner, and that more successful public-private initiatives are needed, with everyone coming forward from their own position to protect the environment and tackle climate change.

Anwarul Amin, director of public relations, communication and sustainability at CCBBL, said: "We believe events like this can play a very effective role in securing a prosperous future by cutting carbon emissions and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Every sapling planted is a valuable investment in the future, and we must build the capacity of the next generation to understand the importance of that investment. We are grateful to the Mymensingh divisional office of the Department of Environment and the Forest Department for their full cooperation."

The saplings were handed to young students, as a key to building a prosperous future, in the presence of Anwarul Amin; Dilruba Ahmed, director (deputy secretary) of the DoE's Mymensingh divisional office; divisional forest officer A N M Abdul Wadud; and other senior officials.

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