A total of 3,185,993 saplings worth Tk. 16,28,52,010 were sold in the National Tree Fair-2024 which was organised on the old trade fair grounds at Agargaon in the capital.
Among the saplings, ornamental plants or garden plants were top sale list, while timber, fruit-bearing, medicinal, and endangered species of saplings were also sold as expected. A total of 120 stalls were in the fair. Dipankar Bar, public relations officer of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, confirmed the matter to the Bangladesh Post.
The National Tree Fair concluded on Wednesday (September 18). Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources; spoke at the concluding ceremony of the tree fair as the chief guest.
She also distributed prizes among the winners of the tree identification, essay, and drawing competitions held during the fair, as well as among the stall owners.
The closing ceremony took place at the auditorium of the Forest Department at Agargaon in the city.
In her speech, Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised on tree plantation to save the environment. More trees must be planted for healthy and beautiful life. Trees absorb excess heat, purify the air, and cool the environment, she said.
She called upon everyone to plant trees and take care of them, saying that ‘if we work together, we can restore the forest and environment’.
Addressing the officials of the Forest Department, Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized the need for afforestation, not commercial timber business.
She highlighted the importance of modernising forest management and prioritizing sustainable forestry and livelihood development over one-time benefits from social forestry.
She also stressed the need for raising public awareness and engaging the youth in the conservation of forests, the environment, and biodiversity.
Earlier in the day, the Environment Adviser visited the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC). At a discussion there, she called on the officials to play a responsible role in conserving forest resources.
