A tree-planting programme has been held in Dhaka in memory of the Soviet Union's soldiers who gave their lives in the Second World War, and to mark the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945). The special programme was titled "Garden of Memory".

Russian House in Dhaka organised the event at the Dhanmondi Lake area on Friday morning (24 April). The chief guest was Md Abdus Salam, a freedom fighter and the administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

The Garden of Memory is an international commemorative initiative that began in Russia, which the organisers' account describes as dedicated to those killed in the Russian Revolution. Under the programme, trees are planted every year in Russia and in countries around the world. Each tree symbolises a life, helping both to preserve historical memory and to protect the environment.

In his speech, the DSCC administrator praised the tree-planting programme and highlighted the government's commitment to protecting Bangladesh's environment. He said there were plans to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years to tackle climate change and build a green Bangladesh, and that Dhaka South City Corporation plans to plant 3 lakh trees between 2026 and 2030.

The special guest was Vyacheslav Sentyurin, minister-counsellor at the Russian embassy in Dhaka. The event was chaired by Alexandra A Khlevnoy, director of Russian House in Dhaka.

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