Vice President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) Dr Zubaida Rahman has called for building a liveable world for future generations through widespread tree plantation and scientific innovation.
Speaking at the inauguration of the “Month-long Tree Plantation” Programme and the “Search for Future Scientist Science Fair 2026” on Wednesday, she said tree planting creates opportunities for environmental protection and helps build “a beautiful and liveable world”.
The Ziaur Rahman Foundation organised the tree plantation campaign to mark the 45th martyrdom anniversary of the proclaimer of independence, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam.
Dr Zubaida Rahman said teachers and students could play a significant role in finding scientific solutions to many of the country’s challenges. She expressed hope that villages and cities across Bangladesh would become greener, cleaner and more attractive for future generations.
Calling for greater public participation, she urged that tree plantation be transformed from a conventional programme into a “Green Revolution” capable of driving economic, social and intergenerational development.
She also proposed the creation of Green Voluntarism, a Climate Youth Fellowship and an environment-focused startup fund. Stressing the importance of environmental awareness among young people, she said green voluntarism should be incorporated into school curricula. She added that university students and teachers would be invited to take part in the “Search for Future Scientists" competition.
Dr Zubaida Rahman said scientific innovation and healthy competition in fields including medicine, botany, physics, chemistry and information technology could help address many of the country’s problems. “New innovations will pave the way for alleviating human suffering and building a developed Bangladesh,” she said.
Earlier, she inaugurated the tree plantation programme by planting a neem sapling on the premises of Curzon Hall at Dhaka University. She later opened the “Search for Future Scientist – Science Fair 2026” at the central gallery of the university’s Department of Botany.
The programme was chaired by ZRF Acting Executive Director Professor Dr Morshed Hasan Khan and moderated by Professor Lutfar Rahman, convener of the committee formed to observe Ziaur Rahman’s martyrdom anniversary.
Among the special guests were former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr A F M Yusuf Haider, current Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr A B M Obaidul Islam, ZRF Director Dr Mostafa Aziz Sumon and agriculturist Boijar Rahman.
Deans of different faculties, department chairpersons, teachers and students of Dhaka University also attended the event.
As part of the nationwide initiative, tree plantation programmes were launched on the same day at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Sylhet Agricultural University.
.jpg "Five more suspected measles deaths raise nationwide toll to 648")
