Dhaka: Nazrul Islam Khan, the prime minister’s political adviser and a member of BNP’s Standing Committee, announced on Thursday that 43 percent of the tree plantation target set for 2026 under the government’s five-year, 25-crore tree plantation programme has already been achieved. Speaking at the 4th meeting of the cell formed to implement the government’s election pledge of planting 25 crore trees in five years, Nazrul stated that 5,14,88,930 saplings were planned to be planted across various ministries, divisions, and agencies in 2026, with nearly 43 percent already planted.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the meeting took place at the conference room of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, where Nazrul currently oversees the cell’s activities. He mentioned that ministries and agencies lagging in achieving their targets have been instructed to accelerate plantation activities by utilizing the current monsoon season. Nazrul emphasized turning the programme into a nationwide social movement, involving women, the younger generation, students, and rural communities.
Nazrul highlighted the responsibility of concerned institutions to ensure that native tree species suited to local soil, climate, and biodiversity are planted at appropriate locations. The importance of ensuring the survival rate of the saplings was also stressed. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo underscored the need for regular post-plantation care, protection, and effective monitoring to fulfill the government’s pledge. He called for enhancing the capacity of both public and private nurseries and prioritizing native species by adhering to the “right tree, right place” policy.
The minister encouraged the plantation of economically beneficial trees such as coconut, palm, date palm, and betel nut, suggesting planned plantations on government khas land, roads, railways, riverbanks, chars, and coastal areas. He also emphasized the involvement of students, scouts, the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), Rovers, youth organizations, voluntary bodies, the private sector, industrial establishments, and NGOs in the initiative.
State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam announced that two crore trees would be planted in coastal areas between December and January to help achieve this year’s target by next January. An integrated monitoring system will be developed to oversee the care, protection, replanting where necessary, and survival rate of the planted saplings.
Saimum Parvez, special assistant to the prime minister on environment, forest, and climate change affairs, pointed out the need for effective action plans to create more than three and a half lakh green jobs through the participation of women, youth, and rural communities in the plantation drive. The development of new nursery entrepreneurs across the country was also discussed.
The meeting also highlighted progress on developing a “Tree Monitoring App” to digitally record the GPS-based location, species, plantation date, geo-tagged photographs, and care details of every planted tree. The app is designed to display the survival rate of trees, replacement plantation data, district- and institution-wise progress, and real-time reports on a national dashboard.