Special emphasis must be given to producing and planting saplings of valuable trees, said M Iqbal Hossain, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief. If quality, valuable saplings are produced and planted in a planned way, people will benefit economically in future, so everyone should come forward to this work, he said.

He was speaking at the opening of the Mymensingh Divisional Tree Fair 2026, organised by the district administration and the Forest Department on the Mymensingh Circuit House premises on Saturday, 18 July.

He stressed large-scale tree planting to protect the environmental balance, increase the supply of oxygen and achieve economic prosperity.

Tree planting harms no one; rather, the people, the government and the country all benefit, M Iqbal Hossain said. The government has decided to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years. To meet this target, nursery owners must start producing high-quality saplings now so that the necessary supply is ensured. This will expand their business and benefit the country as well.

The state minister said pollution and oxygen shortages are reported in various cities. Planting more trees will protect the environmental balance and give people enough oxygen. He hoped that a prosperous Bangladesh could be built by planting five crore trees every year.

The event was chaired by Mymensingh additional deputy commissioner Reza Md Golam Masum Prodhan. Speakers included Abu Wahab Akanda Wahid, MP for Mymensingh-4; Md Rukunozzaman Rokon, administrator of Mymensingh City Corporation; and superintendent of police Mohammad Kamrul Hasan.

Officials of various government offices, elected representatives, political leaders, forest officials, representatives of environmental organisations, journalists and students attended.

Earlier, a colourful rally organised by the district administration and the Mymensingh Forest Department paraded through the city's roads and ended at the Circuit House premises. The chief guest then visited the fair's stalls and took part in tree planting.

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