A programme to plant 10,000 trees has been launched in Kamrangirchar in the capital under the "Brikkhobritti and Green City Building" programme, organised by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) at the initiative of Plant Scholar. DSCC administrator Md Abdus Salam said on the occasion that planting trees alone is not enough to protect the environment; rivers, canals, drains and roads must be kept clean and a social environmental movement built.

A discussion was held on Sunday (9 August) along Baragram Batteryghat road next to the Buriganga river in DSCC ward 56.

It was chaired by Dhaka Central University vice-chancellor Professor Dr Md Nurul Islam. DSCC administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam was chief guest and Dhaka-7 MP Hamidur Rahman special guest.

In his speech, Abdus Salam called on everyone to join the movement to give future generations a safe world. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had been urging people to plant more trees to protect the environment even before taking office, and the target is to plant 25 crore trees across the country in the next five years. Just as the Sundarbans protect the coast from cyclones and other disasters, large-scale tree planting across the country would play a big role in keeping the environment in balance.

He urged teachers, students and political activists each to plant at least one tree.

Stressing cleanliness and river protection, the administrator said the river channel will be dredged in the coming dry season to restore the Buriganga's navigability. He asked residents not to throw polythene or waste into drains and the river, and also called for social resistance against drugs alongside environmental protection.

On infrastructure in Kamrangirchar, he said an eight-lane road is being built in the area to ease the entry into Dhaka of vehicles from 21 southern districts via the Padma Bridge. Tk 236.48 crore has been allocated to the project this financial year; 48 per cent of the work is done, and it is expected to be completed by June 2027.

Speakers called on everyone to play a responsible role in tree planting, river protection, cleanliness and dengue prevention.

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