Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian is leading a drive to plant one lakh trees across the district’s 16 upazilas on Tuesday, with regular maintenance and replacement planting central to the initiative.
An additional 10,000 to 20,000 saplings are being kept ready to replace those that fail to survive, Zahid said at a sapling distribution programme at the Chattogram Sadar Circle land office on Monday.
“We will not just plant these trees; we will also ensure proper care,” he said. “The aim is to keep one lakh saplings alive.”, according to a press release on Sunday.
Larger, good-quality saplings have been collected to improve survival rates, he said, calling on participating institutions to take responsibility for their upkeep.
Public Administration Adviser Md Ismail Jabiullah is scheduled to inaugurate the drive by planting the first sapling on the Jamiatul Falah Mosque premises. Plans include having him plant the 100,000th sapling at DC Park that afternoon.
The initiative is part of a five-year target to plant 1.5 crore trees in Chattogram under the prime minister’s programme to plant 25 crore trees nationwide.
The drive will give particular attention to coconut plantations in coastal areas, especially Sandwip, where conditions are suitable for the trees to grow and bear fruit. Other coastal areas will receive species suited to local conditions.
Government agencies, law enforcement bodies and other institutions have been involved in implementing the programme.
At the preparatory event, Zahid distributed 2,275 coconut saplings. DC Park and the district police received 500 each, while Chattogram Metropolitan Police and the airport received 300 each. The social services department and the zoo received 150 each; SRB and Chattogram Port 100 each; and Jamiatul Falah, the Hajj camp and DGFI 50 each. The stadium received 15 saplings and Circuit House 10.
Zahid said the army’s 24 Infantry Division had supplied 30,000 saplings, NGOs 17,000 and the Chattogram South Forest Division 10,000. The Anwara upazila administration, navy and other sources have also contributed, while the district administration will supply the remainder.
Fruit, timber, medicinal and ornamental species will be planted according to local needs, including mango, jackfruit, guava, hog plum, mahogany, garjan, amla, haritaki, jarul and bakul.
Preparations, including digging planting pits, have begun at several locations, including the zoo.
Additional deputy commissioners Md Kamruzzaman, Pathan Md Saiduzzaman and Sakhawat Jamil Soikat, among other officials, attended the event.
Zahid previously led a campaign to plant one lakh trees under the “Green and Clean Narayanganj” programme while serving as deputy commissioner there. Launched on 10 May 2025, that campaign reached its target on 10 July, when he planted the 100,000th sapling on a road divider in the Signboard area.
