Photo : BSS

BAGERHAT, July 3, 2026 (BSS) - A special mangrove plantation programme has been launched in Mongla of Bagerhat to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities and help reduce the impacts of natural disasters.

The initiative is being implemented under the "Rain for Life Project" of the BRAC Climate Change Programme with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark.

The programme was formally inaugurated on Thursday afternoon along the banks of the Pashur River at Kalatla village under Chila Union.

As part of the project, a total of 35,000 mangrove saplings will be planted and seeds of suitable mangrove species will be sown in local forest areas to protect coastal communities and ecosystems through nature-based solutions.

Mongla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sharmin Akhter Sumi inaugurated the plantation drive. Among others, central leader of Dharitree Rakhaye Amara (Dhara) and environmental activist Md Nur Alam Sheikh, BRAC Project Operations Manager Prakash Chandra Biswas, local dignitaries and BRAC officials attended the event.

Addressing the function, Sharmin Akhter Sumi said the government has set a target of planting 250 million trees across the country over the next five years.

"As Mongla is one of the country's most climate-vulnerable upazilas, afforestation is particularly important here. BRAC's mangrove plantation initiative will play a significant role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change," she said.

She called on all stakeholders to work together to protect both the people and the environment of the coastal region through expanded tree plantation.

Project officials said mangrove saplings, including vine and crab species, will be planted in vacant areas within the existing mangrove forests of Telikhali and Keyabunia villages under Ward No. 5 of Chila Union. Seeds of other suitable mangrove species, including Keora and Pashur, will also be sown.

The plantation programme will cover about one kilometre along the roadside with active participation of local residents, they added.

Local residents and environmentalists welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that it would contribute to restoring the coastal ecosystem and enhancing protection against climate change.