Young agricultural entrepreneur Md Omar Sharif has taken the initiative to plant palm saplings along both sides of a five-kilometre road in Mirsarai, Chattogram, to reduce the risk of lightning and help maintain the environmental balance. Under the programme, 2,300 palm saplings will be planted beside the road from Thakurdighi to Sattar Bhuiyar Hat.

The programme was launched at noon on Tuesday 4 August by planting a few palm saplings beside the road in the Sattar Bhuiyar Hat area of Katachhara union in the upazila.

Speaking at the event, Upazila Agriculture Officer Pratap Chandra Roy said, "Palm and date palm trees are disappearing from the country to a great extent. Palm trees are extremely useful in reducing the risk of lightning. Sharif's initiative to plant palm saplings on both sides of the road is praiseworthy. I urge everyone to take care of the trees."

Md Omar Sharif, managing director of Zohra Agro Farms and Nursery and convener of the upazila Swechchhasebak Dal, said, "Every year I plant trees at various institutions in the upazila. As a continuation of that, and to prevent lightning, 2,300 palm saplings will be planted along the five-kilometre road from Thakurdighi to Sattar Bhuiyar Hat."

Those present included Advocate Aliul Kabir Iqbal, former convener of Mirsarai upazila BNP; Jahangir Alam, joint convener of Katachhara union BNP; BNP leaders Shahid Uddin, Nasir Uddin Boli, Sohrab Uddin and Abdur Rahim; union Krishak Dal president Shahadat Hossain; Jamaat leader Md Muslim Uddin; Durgapur union Swechchhasebak Dal convener Ainul Kabir Ripon; Ainul Hossain; Olama Dal member Hafiz Uddin; and BNP leader Shahid.

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