Photo: Collected

KHULNA, July 5, 2026 (BSS) – The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has distributed 93,945 saplings across four districts under the Khulna Agricultural Region as part of the government's nationwide tree plantation programme.

According to DAE Khulna Region, a total of 93,945 saplings had been distributed by June 30.

DAE officials said the government has set a target of distributing 195,900 saplings in the Khulna Agricultural Region, which comprises Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Narail districts.

According to DAE data as of June 30, a total of 8,680 saplings, or 13 percent of the target, had been distributed in Khulna against a target of 67,950.

In Bagerhat, 48,155 saplings, or 86 percent of the target, had been distributed against a target of 56,300. In Satkhira, 37,110 saplings, or 76 percent of the target, had been distributed against a target of 48,600. No saplings had yet been distributed in Narail, where the target has been set at 23,050.

Earlier, the government announced an agro-incentive package worth Tk 53.66 crore for a nationwide tree plantation programme under the agricultural rehabilitation assistance sector in the current fiscal year, aiming to distribute 1.628 million saplings free of cost across the country.

The initiative is part of the current government's election pledge under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years.

Under the programme, a total of 1.628 million fruit-bearing, timber and medicinal plant saplings, along with organic fertiliser, bamboo stakes and other necessary inputs, will be distributed free of charge among farmers in all 64 districts.

The information was disclosed in a recent government notification issued by the Inputs-2 Wing of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The programme categorises the saplings into four groups, with assistance costs fixed according to species. Each sapling will be accompanied by 30 kilograms of organic manure and one bamboo stake.

Under Category-1, each coconut sapling will involve a total expenditure of Tk 410, including Tk 160 for the sapling, Tk 120 for organic manure, Tk 50 for a bamboo stake, Tk 48 for transportation and Tk 32 for ancillary expenses.

Category-2 includes mango, litchi, sapodilla, custard apple, palmyra palm, jackfruit, tamarind and pomelo saplings. The total expenditure for each sapling under this category has been fixed at Tk 310.

Category-3 covers species such as orange, olive and Bengal currant, with a total expenditure of Tk 290 per sapling.

Category-4 includes species such as arjun, mahogany, areca nut, hog plum, Indian gooseberry, neem, black plum, bahera, wood apple, rain tree, date palm and almond. The expenditure for each sapling under this category has been fixed at Tk 240.

The programme will also distribute 1.628 million bamboo stakes and a total of 48,840 metric tonnes of organic manure nationwide.

To ensure transparency, the government has imposed a number of strict conditions for implementing the programme.

Talking to BSS, Md Rafiqul Islam, additional director of DAE Khulna Region, said each farmer or institution is receiving five saplings. The saplings may be planted in homesteads, fallow land, canal banks, roadsides, educational institutions, religious establishments and other vacant spaces.

He said the materials are being distributed through master rolls after verifying beneficiaries' photo-bearing agricultural cards, national identity card numbers and mobile phone numbers.

"Every district and upazila-level office of the Department of Agricultural Extension is working to implement the programme," he said.

Replying to a question, he said sapling distribution in Narail would begin within the next one or two days.