Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon on Sunday called for expanding the ongoing social movement for tree plantation and greening.

He made the call at a discussion organised by the Krishibid Association as part of a tree plantation programme at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute auditorium in Gazipur.

Swapon said “It is our moral responsibility to take care of the environment and ecosystem. For sustenance in the universe, we have to depend on the ecosystem. So, instead of limiting ourselves to mechanical development, we have to work by cultivating intellect and conscience to create a habitable earth for future generations.”

Highlighting the global context of the climate crisis, he said temperatures are rising due to carbon emissions caused by excessive use of fossil fuels. Coastal low-lying areas face the risk of being inundated, he said adding there is no alternative to greening and afforestation to overcome this global crisis.

Swapon recalled that President Ziaur Rahman had taken far-sighted initiatives for environmental conservation and launched the tree plantation movement alongside ensuring food security in the country.

In continuation of that, the present government, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has adopted a mega plan to plant 250 million trees over the next five years, he said, adding that this year’s target has already been successfully achieved.

He strongly urged for extensive expansion of greening across the country with the participation of every family, educational institution and social organisation under the concept “One Child, One Tree”.

At the same time, he called upon the agriculturalist community to play a leading role in making the social movement a success.

Agriculturist Dr Kamruzzaman Kaiser presided over the programme while members of parliament Nurul Islam Nayan, Shahidul Islam Bablu and Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Selim Khan and leaders of the Krishibid Association spoke on the occasion.