PM Hasina launches plantation of 10m saplings

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated the distribution and plantation of 10 million saplings across the country as a part of the celebration of “Mujib Borsho” (Mujib Year), reports news agency BSS.

She opened the programme by planting three saplings on her official Ganabhaban residence premises in the capital this morning marking Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the National Tree Plantation Campaign 2020 through the same event.

Earlier at a virtual meeting on 12 July, environment, forests and climate change affairs minister Md Shahab Uddin said the prime minister will inaugurate the distribution and plantation of 10 million saplings across the country by planting saplings on Ganabhaban premises on 16 July.

The minister also said after the inauguration of the programme by the prime minister, three saplings -- one fruit, one wood, and one medicinal -- will be officially planted in every district and upazila.

Later, 20,325 saplings will be planted in each of 492 upazilas of the country at a convenient time in the current tree plantation season from 16 July to 15 September by maintaining the health codes in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Shahab Uddin said.

“Following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who first started tree plantation drive in the country, this programme is being implemented in the Mujib Year to maintain the balance of environment,” the minister added.