GAIBANDHA, Sept 06, 2019 (BSS) – A week long fruit bearing, timber and
medicinal tree fair began on the premises of Independence Square of the town
here on Thursday afternoon amid much enthusiasm to all the concerned.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Social Forest Department
(SFD) jointly have arranged the fair in cooperation with district
administration.
A discussion meeting was held on Thursday afternoon with deputy director
of DAE Dr. SM Ferdous in the chair.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abdul Matin addressed the function as the chief
guest, and civil surgeon Dr. ABM Abu Hanif, mayor of Gaibandha Municipality
Advocate Shah Masud Zahangir Kabir Milon, and divisional forest officer,
Rangpur Rafiquzzaman Shah, were present as the special guests.
District training officer of DAE Shawkat Osman, general secretary of
district nursery owners’ association Abdus Salam and journalist Sarker M.
Shahiduzzaman spoke at the function, among others while Gobindaganj upazila
agriculture extension officer Mosarrof Hossain was the moderator.
The speakers in a function here today underscored the need for planting
more trees at the homesteads and open spaces to protect the environment from
its degradation and to save the country from catastrophe of climate change.
As the prices of all species of fruits are very costly, there is no
alternative to producing local and indigenous fruits abundantly to the
growing demand of nutrition for the people, he added.
Terming trees as inseparable part of life and livelihood and also the best
friends of the people, the speakers urged all to plant fruit bearing trees
side by side with planting timber and medicinal ones and nurture those like
their own children.
DC Abdul Matin in his speeches explained various beneficial aspects of
trees and homestead gardening in human life and urged all to plant saplings
of fruit bearing and timber trees around their homesteads to help maintain
ecological balance.
The DC also sought whole hearted cooperation of all to build social
movement for planting all types of trees in the district to benefit the
people both economically and nutritionally.
DD of DAE Dr. SM Ferdous in his concluding speeches called upon all to
visit the fair with their children and to buy different saplings of fruit
bearing tress from it to boost production of fruits to meet its growing
demand.
Later, the DC distributed saplings of fruit bearing and timber trees
including medicinal ones to the selected farmers and went round the stalls of
the fair and talked to the owners.
Earlier, DC Abdul Matin formally inaugurated the fair through cutting a
red tape as the chief guest after participating in the rally on the occasion.
More than 40 stalls of different government departments, non-government
organizations and private nurseries have been set up in the fair.