Dhaka, 7 October 2026: Bangladesh has planted around 35.7 million saplings between 17 February and 15 September 2026 under the government’s five-year programme to plant 250 million trees, achieving 69.36% of the current year’s target.
The progress was reviewed at the fifth meeting of the Tree Plantation Cell, chaired by Prime Minister’s Political Adviser and Cell Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan. The meeting also discussed post-plantation care, monitoring of sapling survival and opportunities for green employment.
Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo called for stronger public participation and said plantation plans must account for natural sapling mortality. He also stressed expanding nursery capacity and selecting tree species based on local conditions and economic value.
State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam said the government plans to plant 20 million keora mangrove saplings in coastal areas during December-January, while Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez called for systematic monitoring, protection and replacement of planted saplings.
Officials said six agencies have already achieved their individual plantation targets. The government is also developing a tree-monitoring app, central database and dashboard to track plantation locations and survival rates.
The meeting called for regular collection of plantation data from government agencies, NGOs, educational institutions and private organizations to establish a coordinated national monitoring system.
