The closing ceremony of the seven-day tree planting campaign and tree fair in Feni was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Shahid Zahir Raihan Hall ground on Mizan Road in the town. The chief guest was Golam Mohammad Baten, deputy director of the Local Government Division in Feni.

The event was chaired by Mohammad Ruhul Amin, divisional forest officer of the Social Forestry Division in Feni. Special guests were Nahida Akter Tania, chief executive officer of Feni Zila Parishad, and Abu Taher, a freedom fighter and senior journalist.

It was moderated by Md Mamun Mia, beat officer of the Social Forestry Division in Sonagazi upazila. Speakers included Amir Hossain Chowdhury, president of the sawmill owners' association, Hafez Maulana Md Kamrul Ahsan Bhuiyan, superintendent of Boxmahmud Islamia Dakhil Madrasa, and Babul Chandra Bhowmik, Feni Sadar range officer.

The fair was organised by the district administration and the Social Forestry Division in Feni, with the support of the district timber and furniture traders' association, the nursery owners' association and the sawmill owners' association. Saplings of fruit, timber, medicinal and ornamental trees were sold at 20 stalls. Although the fair was formally declared closed, at the request of nursery owners the participating nurseries may keep saplings in their stalls and trade until Saturday afternoon. Lighting and all other security arrangements will remain in place, and sales will continue during this time.

This year every nursery owner taking part was declared joint first-place winner, and each was given a sprayer for applying medicine to saplings and a certificate.

In his speech, chief guest Golam Mohammad Baten said tree planting makes a big contribution to the country's economy. It also helps meet nutritional needs, keep the environment in balance and protect against natural disasters, he said. The only cause of environmental disaster and climate change is the felling of trees, he said. Trees are not being planted in Bangladesh at the rate they are being cut, and everyone must pay attention to tree planting.

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