The Netrokona school’s long-running green campus initiative, supported by BARCIK since 2016, includes tree planting, seed conservation, climate justice awareness and student-led environmental activities.
Raju’s Bazar Collegiate School in Netrokona has held its annual tree-planting programme as part of efforts to protect the environment, address the harmful impacts of climate change and build a green campus.
The programme was organised on the school premises today, Monday, with support from the private research organisation BARCIK.
Advocate Md Nuruzzaman, administrator of the Netrokona District Council, inaugurated the tree-planting programme as the chief guest. Golam Mostafa, principal of Raju’s Bazar Collegiate School, was also present.
Others attending the event included Md Ohidur Rahman, regional coordinator of BARCIK, the president and members of the school management committee, teachers, students and local journalists.
“At this critical time of climate change, the example set by Raju’s Bazar Collegiate School in protecting the environment is truly commendable,” Nuruzzaman said. “Such initiatives should be taken in every educational institution to spread environmental awareness among students.”
BARCIK began working in 2016 to develop Raju’s Bazar Collegiate School into a fully green campus. As part of the initiative, the country’s first “Tree Olympiad” was organised with the participation of 60 schools.
Since then, the school has carried out planned tree planting around its premises every year.
Beyond tree planting, the school has long been conducting a range of activities to help maintain environmental balance. These include raising its voice for climate change action and climate justice, observing World Environment Day, publishing environment awareness wall magazines, arranging exhibitions on the idea of a planned city, running an “honesty store” to encourage honesty among students and conserving rainwater.
A “seed bank” is also being developed at the school with BARCIK’s support to conserve biodiversity and seeds of local species.
Students took part spontaneously in today’s tree-planting programme and renewed their pledge to make the campus greener.
Speakers expressed hope that other educational institutions in Bangladesh would follow the school’s example and come forward to protect the environment.
