Palm saplings will be distributed across educational institutions and key public sites in Rajshahi under a nationwide initiative targeting environmental protection and biodiversity.
A programme to plant 1,000 palm tree saplings was launched in Rajshahi on Saturday (29 august) to help prevent the growing incidence of lightning strikes across Bangladesh and protect the climate and biodiversity.
The initiative is part of a nationwide programme to plant 100,000 palm tree saplings jointly organised by the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Forum (NBCF), an environmental organisation, and the Centre for Global Environment and Development (CGED).
The saplings will be planted at various educational institutions, including schools, colleges and madrasas, as well as at the University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and along the banks of the Padma River.
The programme was inaugurated at 11:00 am on Saturday with the planting of palm tree saplings on the Rajshahi Medical College campus.
Bangladesh Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu attended the event as the chief guest.
Among the invited guests were Rajshahi City Corporation Secretary Sohel Rana, Rajshahi Institute of Health Technology Principal Professor Dr Mirza Mohammad Wasi Parvez, CGED Executive Director Dr Md Abdul Wahab, NBCF President Professor Dr BK Dam and Rajshahi Government Survey Institute Principal Md Amirul Islam.
The event was chaired by Rajshahi Medical College Principal Professor Dr Khondkar Md Faisal Alam.
Engineer Junaid Ahmed, chief coordinator of the 100,000 palm tree sapling plantation programme and founder and general secretary of the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Forum, conducted the event.
During the programme, the minister handed over palm tree saplings to the heads of various educational institutions in Rajshahi.
