Farmers to plant 30 lakh palm trees

Farmers' in the district have taken an initiative to plant 30 lakh palm trees along the newly-built rail line in Ishwardi upazila.

Bangladesh Krishak Unnayan Samity (BKUS) will organise the planting of the trees along the Ishwardi-Dhalarchar rail line.

The farmers' organisation announced this at the inauguration of seed collection programme on September 14.

“We have taken an initiative to plant 30 lakh palm trees alongside the newly built Ishwardi-Dhalarchar rail line in the district to commemorate the 30 lakh martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War for the sake of building Bangladesh,” BKUS President Siddikur Rahman Moyez told journalists.

“We will plant six lakh trees this year, and the rest will be planted within the next five years,” Moyez added. 

Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI) Director General (DG) Dr Amzad Hossain inaugurated the seed collection as the chief guest. Ishwardi Agriculture Officer Rawshan Jamal, Amirul Islam, teacher at a Malaysian University, and leading farmer Abdul Jalil, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the DG said BSRI will assist the farmers with technical support in the plantation programme.

The speakers stressed the necessity of palm trees for environmental balance, saying, that palm trees reduce the risk of lightning strikes and planting of the trees is a great move to save the environment.