Anwar Al-Din, Chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) inaugurated the plantation programme at disaster-prone Talotola area of Kapilmuni today. Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Aug 9, 2025 (BSS) - As part of the BNP’s five-year program, the Paikgacha upazila unit BNP, on Saturday, has planted around 3,000 palm tree seeds to help prevent lightning strikes and preserve environment.

Anwar Al-Din, Chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Joint Editor of the Daily Ittefaq, inaugurated the plantation programme at disaster-prone Talotola area of Kapilmuni under the upazila.

The palm seed planting is part of the BNP’s five-year program, announced by its Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to plant 5 billion trees across the country.

The initiative was supported by local BNP leaders Sheikh Zakir Hossain and Shahidul Islam Hawlader.

Paikgacha Upazila BNP Convener Dr. Abdul Majid, Merchant Association Convener Sheikh Anarul Islam, Upazila Jubo Dal Convener Tahiduzzaman Mukul, BNP leaders Abul Hossain and Tushar Kanti Mondol, human rights activist and journalist S M Parvez, Oliul Islam, Kapilmuni Press Club Convener H M Shafiul Islam, Member Rafiqul Islam, journalist Khairul Islam, among others, were present.

After inaugurating the program, Anwar Al-Din said, “The nation’s most beloved leader and dependable helmsman, Tarique Rahman, has announced a program to plant 5 billion trees in five years to preserve environmental balance. As part of his vision, palm seeds are being planted in this ecologically vulnerable region alongside similar initiatives nationwide. For nature and for future generations, there is no alternative to expanding such massive scale voluntary seed-planting.

He noted that the coastal region of Paikgachha and Koyra, adjacent to the Sundarbans, is becoming hostile increasingly due to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Cyclones, floods, tidal surges, rising surface water levels and embankment breaches are causing widespread flooding, water logging, drought, and heavy rainfall, damaging fish farms and crops.

Anwar Al-Din said that palm trees are close friends of all living beings and serve as strong protectors against natural disasters, especially lightning strikes.

Palm trees play an important role in preventing soil erosion and landslides, replenishing groundwater reserves, and enhancing soil fertility to preserve ecological balance, he said.

Anwar Al-Din called for turning the voluntary planting of palm, coconut, and areca nut trees, and tall fruit trees effective against lightning into a nationwide social movement.