RANGPUR, July 06, 2018 (BSS) – Government officials and experts at a
post-rally discussion have stressed on massive tree plantation to adapt
climate change side by side with improving environment, ecology and bio-
diversity.
They made these observations at the discussion at the inaugural ceremony
of a fortnight-long ‘Divisional Wood, Fruit and Medicinal Tree Fair -2018’
held on Zila School ground here on Thursday.
The district administration jointly with Social Forestry Division and
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) are organising the fair to create
awareness on importance of tree plantation to mitigate adverse impacts of
climate change for a safer planet.
Different government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), nursery
owners and entrepreneurs have set up fifty stalls on the fairground
displaying saplings of many varieties of fruit, timber and medicinal plants.
Earlier, a procession, participated by officials and employees of the
divisional and district administrations, DAE, Department of Forest (DoF),
nursery owners, students, teachers and farmers, was brought out on the city
streets.
Divisional Director of the Local Government Division Zakir Hossain
formally inaugurated the fair by cutting ribbon and addressed the discussion
as the chief guest with Divisional Forest Officer Rafikuzzaman Shah in the
chair.
Deputy Commissioner Enamul Habib, Regional Additional Director of DAE Md
Shah Alam and its District Training Officer Aftab Hossain, President of city
Awami League Shafiur Rahman Shafi, addressed as special guests.
Rafikuzzaman Shah said natural calamities like cyclones, tsunamis,
droughts and floods were frequently occurring mainly due to climate change
and threatening environment, ecology and agriculture.
“Massive tree plantation could protect environment, ecology and
biodiversity making the planet a safe abode for all to save many living
species like animals, birds, insects, aqua animals and fishes from
extinction,” he said.
He also narrated beneficial aspects of forests and important role of
trees in human life citing examples of the Sundarbans that saved millions of
lives when the sidr hit the coastal belts of the country in 2007.
The chief guest urged every citizen to plant at least three tree
saplings to improve environment along with meeting nutritional demand and
getting economic benefits to speed up national development.