100,000 Trees Planted in a Single Day in Chattogram, Around 15,000 People Take Part

The district administration has planted 100,000 trees in a single day in Chattogram. The programme was held on Tuesday (October 27) across the district's 16 upazilas and the metropolis, with the participation of around 15,000 people.

Government officials and employees, teachers and students, the army, non-government organisations and representatives of various institutions took part. The district administration said the programme was taken up under the theme '100,000 trees in one day, a green environment is our goal' as part of implementing the government's pledge to plant 250 million trees in five years.

Public Administration Adviser Md Ismail Zabiullah inaugurated the programme by planting a coconut sapling on the premises of the Jamiatul Falah Mosque in the city. Saplings were planted at various places across the district throughout the day. In the evening, the programme ended at DC Park near Faujdarhat in Sitakunda, where another coconut sapling was planted as the 100,000th tree after a rally.

Adviser Ismail Zabiullah described Chattogram's initiative as an example for the whole country. He called on other deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers to implement similar programmes in their own areas.

In his speech as chief guest, the adviser said that if the priority project taken up by the Chattogram district administration is followed across the country, it will be possible to go beyond the set target. The goal of planting 250 million trees in five years is not an overambitious programme, he said, adding that it can be achieved through collective initiative and public participation. However, tree planting must not remain limited to formalities; a social movement must be built for the care and conservation of trees, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah said movements are held at different times over various demands, but this programme of 15,000 people was a movement to protect the environment — a movement for the survival of people as well as of future generations.

The deputy commissioner described collecting 100,000 saplings, delivering them to different areas and preparing holes for planting as a major challenge. He said preparations were completed with the cooperation of upazila nirbahi officers, various government departments, the army, the Forest Department and NGOs, and the digging of the necessary holes was finished by the evening before the programme.

According to the deputy commissioner, the army's 24 Infantry Division provided 40,000 saplings and NGOs also helped. The remaining saplings were collected through the initiatives of the district and upazila administrations. He said the programme was implemented without spending any government money.

Saplings were selected considering the local environment and the trees' chances of survival. As they suit the coastal environment, arrangements were made to plant around 1,000 coconut trees in Sandwip. An initiative was taken to plant 20,000 trees in Anwara.

Stressing the need to keep the trees alive alongside planting them, the deputy commissioner said all initiatives would be fruitless if the trees do not survive after planting. Fencing has been arranged for the protection of the saplings and monitoring committees have been formed at various levels. A care plan has been taken with the technical assistance of the Forest Department, involving upazila nirbahi officers, village police, local government institution representatives and teachers. An additional 10,000 to 20,000 saplings have been kept in stock to replace any sapling that dies or weakens.

At the event, the adviser called for advance preventive measures to deal with the risk of hill collapses and landslides in Chattogram. Instead of taking measures after a disaster occurs, risks must be identified beforehand and permanent solutions found to protect lives and property, he said. The deputy commissioner also called for protecting existing trees alongside planting new ones.

Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr Md Ziauddin presided over the event. Special guests included MPs Ershad Ullah and Said Al Noman, Chattogram City Corporation Administrator Dr Shahadat Hossain, Chattogram Range DIG Md Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury, CMP Commissioner Hasan Md Shawkat Ali, army representative Colonel Khalil Ullah, CDA Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain and District Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam.

Earlier, while serving as deputy commissioner of Narayanganj, Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah implemented a programme to plant 100,000 trees in two months. That programme, which began on May 10, 2025, ended on July 10. On that day, a Krishnachura sapling was planted as the 100,000th tree on a road island in the Signboard area.