Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) Zubaida Rahman on Wednesday called for building a more liveable world for future generations through large-scale tree plantation and greater public participation in environmental protection.
She made the remarks while inaugurating the month-long Tree Plantation Programme and the ‘Search for Future Scientist – Science Fair 2026’ at Dhaka University.
She launched the programmes at the Central Gallery of the Department of Botany at Curzon Hall, University of Dhaka, in the morning.
The Ziaur Rahman Foundation organised the programme to mark the 45th martyrdom anniversary of former president Ziaur Rahman.
Zubaida said tree plantation creates opportunities to protect the environment and build a beautiful and liveable world. She urged people to transform tree plantation from a conventional activity into a “Green Revolution” that could contribute to economic, social and generational development.
Highlighting the importance of science and innovation, she said teachers and students can play a vital role in finding scientific solutions to many of the country’s challenges. She expressed hope that every village and city would become greener, cleaner and more beautiful for future generations.
She proposed the formation of Green Voluntarism, a Climate Youth Fellowship and an environment-based startup fund. She also stressed the need to include green voluntarism in school curricula to raise environmental awareness among students.
Dr Zubaida said university students and teachers would be invited to participate in the ‘Search for Future Scientist’ competition.
She added that scientific innovation and healthy competition in fields such as medicine, botany, physics, chemistry and information technology could help solve many national problems. New innovations, she said, would ease human suffering and support the goal of building a developed Bangladesh.
Earlier, she inaugurated the tree plantation programme by planting a neem sapling on the Curzon Hall premises of Dhaka University. She later opened the ‘Search for Future Scientist – Science Fair 2026’ at the central gallery of the Department of Botany.
ZRF Acting Executive Director Morshed Hasan Khan presided over the programme, while Lutfar Rahman, convener of the committee formed to observe Ziaur Rahman’s martyrdom anniversary, conducted the event.
Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor A F M Yusuf Haider, current vice-chancellor ABM Obaidul Islam, ZRF Director Mostafa Aziz Sumon and agriculturist Boijar Rahman spoke as special guests.
Deans of various faculties, chairpersons of different departments, and teachers and students of Dhaka University attended the programme.
As part of the central observance, similar tree plantation programmes were also inaugurated on the same day at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Sylhet Agricultural University.
