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Published on June 15, 2014
"Stern action will have to be taken against the culprits who indiscriminately killed people and felled trees in the name of movement, so they do not dare to commit such crimes in future," she said.
The Prime Minister was inaugurating a three-month-long tree plantation programme of Bangladesh Krishak League at her official Ganobhaban residence here this afternoon.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League President, urged the Krishak League leaders and workers to plant more trees to protect environment.
"I call upon you to plant at least three saplings, one of fruit tree, one of timber and another of medicinal tree," she said.
The Krishak League, an associate body of Bangladesh Awami League, holds a three-month-long tree plantation programme from the first day of Bangla month of Ashar every year.
Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, former food minister Dr Abdur Razzak, MP, ex-Krishak League president Advocate Rahmat Ali, MP, and General Secretary of Krishak League Advocate Khandakar Shamsul Haque Reza spoke on the occasion.
Bangladesh Krishak League President Alhaz Motahar Hossain Mollah chaired the function.
Sheikh Hasina said trees are making invaluable contribution to flourishing human civilization as they provide life and oxygen for the people.
Due to the geographical location, she said, we need plantation of more trees in Bangladesh.
Terming Bangladesh Awami League and her government as environment and tree-friendly, the Prime Minister said her government implemented massive programmes across the country to strengthen afforestation drive whenever her party came to power.
The Prime Minister said her government declared 1.70 lakh acres of fresh forests as the reserve forests. "It is a milestone in preserving forests," she said.
She also mentioned creation of greenbelt in the coastal areas of the country that is protecting lives and property of the people in the region from cyclone and tidal surge.
Besides, she said, her government also strengthened social afforestation programmes through involving those who once were blamed for cutting trees.
"Those who once chopped trees are now nurturing the forests following the patronage by the government," she said. The Prime Minister said the people are now getting more financial benefits through participating and contributing to the social aforestation programme. "The share of benefits has been raised to 75 percent from 35 percent," she said.
In this regard, she mentioned that only one person earned about Taka 12 lakh as a beneficiary of the social afforestation last year. "Nobody got such benefit during the BNP-Jamaat government as it was busy with plundering," she said.
Putting emphasis on planting saplings everywhere including own land, river banks, char areas and fallow lands, the Prime Minister said all including the public representatives will have to work unitedly to motivate general people for tree plantation.
She directed the leaders and workers of Krishak League to go to their respective areas and get the people involved in the tree plantation programme.
Sheikh Hasina also urged them to project the success of Awami League in this field side by side with other sectors.
Later, the Prime Minister distributed saplings of different species among the leaders and workers of Krishak League.
-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
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