Plant trees to protect environment

President Zillur Rahman inaugurates the tree plantation programme - 2009 planting a tree at Bangabhaban in the city yesterday while State Minister for Environment and Forest Advocate Mostafizur Rahman looks on.Photo: PID

President Zillur Rahman yesterday urged the countrymen to come forward spontaneously to plant trees across the country with a view to protecting the environment from growing hazards, especially the adverse impacts of global climate change.
“We've to plant trees immensely to bring back the lost sane environment,” he said this while he was inaugurating the tree plantation programme - 2009 at Bangbhaban in the afternoon.
He said the amount of forest in the country is gradually decreasing for various reasons --particularly for the population growth, building houses and infrastructure, unplanned urbanisation, setting up industries and river erosion -- which cause extinction of biodiversity.
Terming trees as inseparable part of life and livelihood he said, “Bangladesh is a country wrapped with green colour along with sweet noise of birds.”
Zillur appreciated the main theme of the national tree planting movement and tree fair-2009: 'Country will be filled with plantation to bring changes in Bangladesh'.
He said the contribution of trees is indispensable in protecting the balance of environment in line with fulfilling people's basic demands -- food, clothing, accommodation, medicare and employment.
“Mainly the trees keep the world habitable for human beings. For this reason all will have to be more sincere in developing and protecting this resource,” he added.
Describing the climate change as great problem for the world, the president said the adverse impacts of the climate change are being seen in the country. Environment scientists apprehend that sea level will rise due to increase in global warming and lowlands of the coastal countries, including Bangladesh, will go under water.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already taken programmes to protect the country from the bad impact of the climate change and the government has launched efforts for making climate change strategy and action plan in this regard.
Zillur said necessary efforts have been taken to build green fence with a view to protecting the river and coastal barrages from flood and sea surges.
“I hope that the government programme for planting some four crore trees across the country will play an important role in achieving the goal,” he said.
He urged the people to protect and take care of the planted trees.
The president said the tree plantation movement would continue for three months and urged the people to join the movement to build a country of greenery.
State Minister for Environment and Forest Advocate Mostafizur Rahman and State Minister for Housing and Public Works Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan were present at the inaugural function.
The president planted a tree of Amloki on the Bangabhaban premises after inaugurating the tree plantation programme.