Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam has announced that two lakh trees will be planted in the DNCC area over the next two years to keep temperatures bearable.

"Temperatures in Dhaka are 10 degrees Celsius higher than in villages. So from the coming monsoon we will plant two lakh trees over the next two years," he said.

He made the announcement on Wednesday (3 May) at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the DNCC and the US-based Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of Dhaka University. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman presided.

The DNCC mayor said Dhaka's temperature is rising constantly. Heatwaves are threatening the lives and livelihoods of city dwellers, reducing people's capacity to work and putting their health at risk. Working people are losing working hours and suffering financial losses. "I hope the joint initiative of the DNCC and Arsht-Rock will be able to build a safe and cool Dhaka by bringing down temperatures," he said.

"We want to plant these trees with the help of councillors and all communities. For these trees to grow, I want the help of city dwellers, neighbourhoods, school and university teachers, mosque imams and everyone, so that no one breaks the trees after they are planted. Let us take care of them and build them up as an asset for future generations," he said.

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