A programme to plant 1,000 palmyra (tal) saplings has been launched in Rajshahi to help prevent the rising number of lightning strikes across the country and to protect the climate and biodiversity. It was started by the environmental organisations Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Forum and the Center for Global Environment and Development.

As part of a programme to plant one lakh palm saplings across the country, 1,000 saplings will be planted at educational institutions in Rajshahi and along the bank of the Padma. The programme was launched by planting palm saplings on the Rajshahi Medical College campus at 11am on 29 August. Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu, the chief guest, handed saplings to the heads of various educational institutions in Rajshahi.

Guests present included Rajshahi City Corporation secretary Sohel Rana; Prof Dr Mirza Mohammad Wasi Parvez, principal of the Rajshahi Institute of Health Technology; Dr Md Abdul Wahab, executive director of the Center for Global Environment and Development; Prof Dr BK Dam, president of the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Forum; and Md Amirul Islam, principal of Rajshahi Government Survey Institute.

The event was chaired by Prof Dr Khondokar Md Faisal Alam, principal of Rajshahi Medical College. It was conducted by engineer Junayed Ahmed, chief coordinator of the one lakh palm sapling programme and founder and general secretary of the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Forum.

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