The Minister made these remarks on Sunday (August 9) as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the National Tree Fair 2026, held at the Haimanti Hall of Forest Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka.

He said this year's fair was not merely a marketplace for saplings but had become a national movement for environmental balance, greening, and addressing climate change challenges. Organised under the theme "Let's Adorn the Country with Tree Plantations, Bangladesh First," the fair exceeded all expectations.

The Minister informed that Prime Minister Tareq Rahman inaugurated the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair on July 9. As per the government's electoral commitments, a programme has been undertaken to plant 25 crore saplings across the country over the next five years and create green jobs. In the first year alone, 5 crore saplings are being planted, with the Forest Department contributing 3.5 crore. This initiative is expected to generate over 3.5 lakh direct and indirect green jobs, and the creation of 10,000 new nursery entrepreneurs will provide employment opportunities for about 2.5 lakh people.

He noted that 74 nurseries participated in the fair, and visitors purchased approximately 16 lakh saplings, with total sales reaching around 16 crore taka. This reflects growing environmental awareness among the public and expanding economic potential in the nursery sector.

Special guest at the event was Bangladesh Climate Trust Managing Director Kazi Rownakul Islam (Tipu). The programme was chaired by Chief Conservator of Forests Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, who announced plans to increase the number of awards to encourage greater public participation in tree planting.

At the closing ceremony, awards and certificates were presented to recipients of the National Tree Plantation Award 2025 (second and third places), individuals with special contributions to wildlife and biodiversity conservation, winners of competitions, and selected stall owners of the fair.