Large-scale development and tree planting work along canals and lakes and in open spaces and fields across Dhaka will begin on 1 June. Landscape designs for the whole city have already been completed, and trees will be planted along canal and lake banks on the advice of botanists. "We want to stand with all partners to make these initiatives succeed," said Mohammad Ejaz, administrator of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

He was speaking at an experience-sharing meeting in the conference room of the DNCC's Nagar Bhaban on Wednesday (14 May).

The administrator said that canal digging used to cost more than Tk 100 crore without any visible change, whereas it is costing less than Tk 10 crore to clean 100 km of canals now.

He added that volunteers have already been given responsibility for maintaining 33 canals in Dhaka and greening them by planting trees on both banks, and that one gardener is being hired for every kilometre of canal bank to plant and look after trees.

The meeting presented experience from a pilot project carried out in the Kalyanpur canal area under the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project.

DNCC chief engineer Brigadier General Md Moin Uddin and Dr Shibly Sadiq, senior adviser at the Netherlands embassy, spoke at the meeting, which was chaired by DNCC chief executive officer Abu Sayeed Md Kamruzzaman.

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