Environment and tree fairs begin on June 25

The Environment and Tree Fair will commence on Wednesday beside the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar of Dhaka.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, disclosed it at a press conference held at the Ministry.

She informed that the environment fair will run from June 25 to June 27, while the Tree Fair will continue until July 24. Both fairs will remain open to the public daily from 9am to 9pm.

The adviser also announced that the inaugural ceremony will be held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center on June 25, where Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be present as the Chief Guest.

At the event, the National Environment Award 2024, the National Wildlife Conservation Award 2025, and the National Tree Plantation Award 2024 will be given for contributions to environmental and wildlife protection.

Additionally, profit-sharing cheques will be distributed among beneficiaries of the Social Forestry Programme.

Rizwana stated that the current government is working tirelessly to control environmental pollution, address the adverse impacts of climate change, and enhance forest resources. To ensure public participation, this year’s World Environment Day, Environment Fair, National Tree Plantation Campaign, and Tree Fair are being observed nationwide.

This year’s theme for World Environment Day is: “Beat Plastic Pollution” and the theme for the Tree Plantation Campaign is: “Let’s Plant in a Planned Way to Build a Green Bangladesh.”

In celebration of these events, various awareness activities such as art, debate, and slogan competitions, seminars, and industry-related awareness programmes will be held in 100 educational institutions in Dhaka and across district and sub-district levels.

Tree fairs and sapling distributions will also take place nationwide. Public engagement campaigns, including SMS outreach, banner installations, and participatory events, will be conducted to raise awareness.

Highlighting the risks of plastic pollution, the adviser mentioned that microplastics are entering the human food chain and increasing the risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses.

In response, the government has banned the production, import, and marketing of plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds from June 1, 2025. Seventeen single-use plastic items have been identified for restricted use.

The draft of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework has been finalized, and special action plans are being implemented in eight coastal areas of Chattogram and forty coastal upazilas declared as ‘Exposed Coast’.

From November 2024 to June 2025, a total of 434 mobile court operations were conducted against 815 establishments, resulting in fines amounting to approximately Tk 60.3 lakh and seizure of 233,000 kg of banned polythene.

Since August 2024, 1,717 acres of illegally occupied forest land have been reclaimed and brought under the Forest Department. Allocations under government and private projects have been cancelled. The government has initiated recovery of 4,104 acres of land previously allocated to BEZA in Mirsharai, Chattogram.

As part of long-term afforestation planning from FY 1995–96 to 2023–24, the government has created 426,842 hectares of block plantations, 72,581 kilometers of strip plantations, and distributed or planted over 2.06 billion saplings. Profit-sharing worth Tk 5.05 billion has been distributed among 250,000 social forestry beneficiaries.

Conservation efforts for elephants, vultures, freshwater stingrays, migratory birds, sharks, dolphins, and gharials are ongoing. The Wildlife Conservation Act has been updated. The proposed safari park in Lathitila, Moulvibazar has been cancelled and a new biodiversity zone has been declared in Purbachal.

To combat air, noise, and river pollution, 1,063 mobile courts have been conducted, resulting in 2,499 cases, over Tk 253.5 million in fines, and the closure of 481 illegal brick kilns.

New initiatives have been launched to enforce environmental protection in Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs).

At the end of the press conference, Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized that while the government is committed to environmental protection, active media engagement and public participation are essential.

She sought cooperation from journalists to ensure that the public is well-informed about this year’s programmes.

Present at the press conference were Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Dr. Fahmida Khanom, Additional Secretary (Environment); Md. Khairul Islam, Additional Secretary (Development); Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman, Director General, Department of Environment; and Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests.