Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reaffirmed the government's commitment to building a green, climate-resilient, environment-friendly and sustainable Bangladesh in the spirit of its "Bangladesh First" philosophy.

He said the government's aim is to build a safe and liveable country for future generations by giving development and environmental conservation equal importance.

The Prime Minister said this in a message marking the national "Tree Planting Campaign and Tree Fair 2026". He said this year's theme, "Let us adorn the country with trees, Bangladesh first", reflects the government's national commitment.

Human activity is steadily raising global temperatures, and the impact of climate change is deeply affecting nature and people's lives worldwide, he said. Trees play an undeniable role in keeping nature in balance and curbing global warming: they absorb atmospheric carbon, lower excess heat and help keep the environment clean.

In light of this, he said, the government has adopted a programme to plant 25 crore trees in the next five years. "This is not just a government programme but a national movement."

People are being involved in planting and caring for trees everywhere, including schools and colleges, both sides of roads and railways, embankments, state forest land, coastal chars, urban areas and homesteads. Students are taking part in urban forestry, and saplings are being given out free.

These efforts will increase tree cover, make it easier to cope with climate change and strengthen the base for sustainable development, he said.

Just as a good life needs a prosperous country and a strong economy, healthy living needs forests rich in biodiversity, the Prime Minister said. A prosperous economy and green forests are closely linked, and forests and tree planting play an important supporting role in building a dynamic green economy.

He urged everyone, regardless of party or opinion, to join large-scale planting wherever suitable: around homes, on fallow and marginal land, along canals and rivers, on embankments, roadsides and road islands, on rooftops, and in towns and ports alike.

Tree fairs play an important part in speeding up the greening movement, he said. To encourage people further, tree fairs will again be held this year at division, district and upazila level as well as nationally, and a three-month planting campaign will run.

He hoped people would be able to get improved saplings at the fairs and that students would gain practical knowledge of plant diversity.

In the message he called on everyone to plant at least one tree and care for it properly, to build a healthy, beautiful, clean and safe Bangladesh for future generations.

He also congratulated the winners of the National Tree Planting Award 2025 and the National Wildlife Conservation Award 2026, and those receiving dividends from social forestry, and wished the Tree Planting Campaign and Tree Fair 2026 every success.

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