DHAKA, July 8, 2026 – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the World Environment Day and Environment Fair-2026 and the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair-2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka on Thursday (July 9), Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo announced on Wednesday.
The minister made the announcement at a press conference held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
He said this year’s National Tree Plantation Campaign will be held under the theme “Let’s Beautify the Country Through Tree Plantation, Bangladesh First.” The campaign aims to strengthen environmental protection, increase forest cover and enhance the country’s resilience to climate change.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s forestry movement, the minister said the late President Ziaur Rahman transformed tree plantation into a nationwide movement by introducing the country’s first National Forest Policy in 1979. He added that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia launched the National Tree Fair in 1994, paving the way for participatory social forestry. Building on that foundation, the present government is promoting technology-driven and sustainable forestry initiatives.
Abdul Awal Mintoo said a month-long National Tree Fair and Environment Fair will be held in Dhaka, while 15-day tree fairs will be organized in seven divisional headquarters, seven-day fairs in 56 district headquarters, and three-day events in 29 upazilas. The Dhaka fair will feature 120 exhibition stalls showcasing forestry, environmental conservation and green technologies.
The minister said the government has formed a special cell under the Prime Minister’s Office to implement its ambitious program to plant 250 million trees over the next five years. The initiative will utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, a National Tree Database and drone technology to digitally monitor afforestation activities across the country.
He said the program is expected to create more than 350,000 green jobs and help establish 10,000 new nursery entrepreneurs, contributing to both environmental protection and economic development.
Referring to the government’s efforts to combat environmental pollution, the minister said the Department of Environment conducted enforcement drives against 1,525 establishments between January and June this year, imposing fines totaling Tk 233.4 million. During the past four months, authorities also recovered more than 581 acres of encroached forest land.
He further said the government has finalized the draft Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines 2026 to improve plastic waste management and, with support from UNICEF, prepared a national strategy to control lead pollution.
The press conference was attended by State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam, Special Assistant on Environment Dr. Saimum Parvez, Acting Secretary Dr. Fahmida Khanam, the Director General of the Department of Environment, the Chief Conservator of Forests and other senior officials of the ministry and its affiliated agencies.
The program concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which the environment minister responded to queries from journalists on the government’s environmental and forestry initiatives.
