Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, said that the importance of planting trees should be embraced at the core of one’s being. To live a healthy and beautiful life, more trees must be planted. Trees absorb excess heat, purify the air, and cool the environment. She urged everyone to plant trees and take care of them, stating that if we work together, we can restore the forest and environment.

Environment Advisor made these remarks as the chief guest during the closing ceremony of the National Tree Fair 2024, held at the Forest Department Auditorium on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Additional Secretary (Administration), Chief Conservator of Forests, Deputy Chief Conservator, and representatives of stall owners also spoke at the event.

Addressing the officials of the Forest Department, Rizwana Hasan emphasized the need for afforestation, not commercial timber business. She highlighted the importance of modernizing 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.

At the event, the Advisor distributed prizes among the winners of the tree identification, essay, and drawing competitions held during the fair, as well as among the stall owners.

This year’s National Tree Fair featured 120 stalls, where 3,185,993 saplings were sold, amounting to a total value of BDT 16,28,52,010. Ornamental saplings were the top sellers, followed by timber, fruit-bearing, medicinal, and endangered species saplings.

Earlier in the day, the Environment Advisor visited the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) under the Ministry. At a discussion event there, she called on the officials to play a responsible role in conserving forest resources.