PM launches nationwide programme to plant 25 crore trees

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday formally inaugurated a nationwide programme aimed at planting 25 crore trees across Bangladesh over the next five years as part of a large-scale environmental and climate resilience initiative.

The launching ceremony took place at the Malumghat Reserve Forest in Dulahazara of Pmkhali in Cox’s Bazar, where the Prime Minister opened the programme around 2:55pm by planting a garjan sapling. The event marked the official beginning of a nationwide afforestation campaign designed to strengthen environmental protection and address the impacts of climate change.

At the inauguration, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, and several other ministers and lawmakers participated in simultaneous sapling plantation activities, planting 11 different species of trees. The Prime Minister also visited plantation sites and observed ongoing activities.

The programme was chaired by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo and organised under the ministry’s supervision. Senior officials, including state ministers for environment, water resources, Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs and land, textiles and jute, along with senior bureaucrats, were also present at the ceremony.

According to official sources, the ministry will implement the plantation drive in phases, with 1.5 crore saplings planned for the initial stage across 149 upazilas in 49 districts.

The initiative aligns with a broader government commitment to environmental protection and climate adaptation, with officials emphasising its long-term importance for ecological balance, forest expansion and disaster resilience.

The plantation programme is also part of a wider set of initiatives introduced following the current administration’s electoral commitments. These include pilot programmes in social welfare, agriculture, education, and sports, such as family support schemes in urban slums, farmer assistance initiatives, and youth sports development programmes.

Authorities said the tree plantation campaign represents a key step in strengthening Bangladesh’s environmental sustainability strategy while supporting national development goals.