Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, has said that tree planting should be held in the soul. To live healthy and good lives, we must plant more trees, she said.

"Trees absorb excess heat, and purify and cool the air. Let us all plant trees together and take care of them. If we work together, we can bring back our forests and environment," she said.

She was speaking as chief guest at the closing ceremony of National Tree Fair 2024 at Ban Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday, 18 September. The secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the additional secretary (administration), the chief conservator of forests, the deputy chief conservator of forests and representatives of stall owners also spoke.

Addressing Forest Department officials, Rizwana Hasan said: "We must do afforestation, not timber business. We must work to protect forests. Forest management will be modernised. Instead of one-off benefits from social forestry, sustainable forest management and livelihood development are essential. Public awareness also needs to be raised."

The adviser also said the country's young people must be involved in conserving forests, the environment and biodiversity.

This year's National Tree Fair had 120 stalls. A total of 31,85,993 saplings were sold, worth Tk 16,28,52,010. Ornamental saplings sold the most, while forest, fruit, medicinal and endangered species also sold in significant numbers.

Earlier in the morning, the environment adviser visited the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC), which is under the ministry. At a views-exchange meeting there, she called on officials to play a responsible role in conserving forest resources.

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