Bangladesh Open University (BOU) formally inaugurated its long-term “Tree Plantation Programme 2026–2030” on Tuesday (16 June 2026) at its campus in Gazipur at 11am, with Gazipur-2 constituency Member of Parliament Md Manjurul Karim Rony attending as chief guest and planting a neem sapling to mark the launch, said in a press release.
BOU Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, along with Pro-Vice-Chancellors Professor Anisur Rahman and Professor Md Sirajul Islam, also planted saplings during the ceremony, while the initiative is being implemented simultaneously across the university’s 12 regional and 63 sub-regional centres as part of a nationwide green campus drive.
Following the inauguration, a discussion session was held at the university’s central conference hall under the slogan “Each sapling marks the beginning of a new dream for a green campus”. The chief guest said the initiative aligns with the government’s plan to plant 2.5 billion trees over five years, emphasising environmental protection and encouraging the plantation programme as a continuous social movement.
He also called for collective participation in environmental protection efforts and urged all stakeholders to make the initiative sustainable over the next five years.
In his presidential address, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan said the government’s five-year plantation plan is a significant national initiative aimed at building a green, climate-resilient and sustainable Bangladesh, not merely a numerical target. He added that universities must play a key role in promoting environmental awareness and sustainable development practices, while urging each member of the university community to plant and care for at least one tree.
Special guests included the two Pro-Vice-Chancellors, while the programme also featured a poetry recitation on Environment Day by Alok Arjuman Banu, spouse of the Vice-Chancellor.
The event was attended by deans, directors, department heads, faculty members, staff and officials from all regional and sub-regional centres, with participation also connected virtually via Zoom.
