Environmental activists in Chattogram have taken the initiative to create an orchard of native trees on the 105-acre Baklia char (island) in the Karnaphuli river. The work began on Saturday (13 July) with the planting of more than 200 saplings of various species.

The trees planted on the island include native species such as jam, jamrul, chapalish, kadam, garjan and neem. Next week more than a hundred date palms will be planted on the island, followed later by palmyra and keora trees, with the aim of creating a natural forest there.

The organisers said the programme would continue for the next month.

The planting programme was jointly organised by Sammilita Paribesh Raksha Andolon, Chattogram Nadi O Khal Raksha Andolon, Srishti, the Rotary Club of Chittagong Hill Town and Agni Bina Pathagar.

Aliur Rahman, general secretary of Chattogram Nadi O Khal Raksha Andolon, said the island is a beautiful stretch of green in the Karnaphuli, where many native trees already survive. If trees are now planted in a planned way, it will become a beautiful garden in the middle of the river. He said the plan by the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and the local government ministry to set up a waste treatment plant on the char would not be allowed to go ahead under any circumstances.

Those who took part in the planting included Abu Sufian, co-founder of Green Fingers, Ritu Parvin, reciter Dilruba Khanam Chhuti, Rotarian GM Mamun, writer Rehena Mahmud, Mohsena Jharna, labour leader Nurul Huda and Abdur Rahim.

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