DHAKA, June 2, 2022 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin today said the World Environment Day will be celebrated on June 5 next with various arrangements, while environment fairs and national tree plantation campaigns and tree fairs will be organised. 

"On the same day, Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually join the event at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre from Ganabhaban and at the same time, she will inaugurate the Environment Fair from June 5 to 11 and the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair 2022 from June 5 to July 4," he said.

The environment minister revealed the information at a press conference held at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at the Secretariat here. 

Environment, Forest and Climate Change secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, additional secretaries Iqbal Abdullah Harun and Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) Dr Abdul Hamid and chief conservator of forests Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury were, among others, present.

Shahab Uddin said the United Nations Environment Programme has set the theme for this year's World Environment Day as 'Only One Earth: Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature'. "We need to save this world, save all kinds of animals, plant more trees".

He said a comprehensive programme has been taken by the DoE and the Department of Forests under the ministry aiming to create public awareness about environmental conservation and tree plantation. 
The inaugural programme will be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other electronic media, he said. 

"On this occasion, special supplements from the DoE and the Department of Forests will be published in the national newspaper. Besides, the World Environment Day will be celebrated with due importance in all districts and upazilas of the country," the minister said.

He said the DoE, within limited manpower, is monitoring the factories regularly and bringing the polluting industries under the law. 

"Meanwhile, in order to control the pollution caused by brick kilns and to protect the fertile soil of agricultural land, the government has enacted the amended brick kiln law. This law has been implemented and a notification has been issued to reduce the production and use of burnt bricks," Shahab Uddin said. 

He said as per the Eighth Five Year Plan, the Forest Department will recover about 7,220 hectares forest land from the plain land and shale forest and 1,30,580 hectares in hilly areas, it will create 500 hectares of agar forest, 15,000 km strip gardens, 50,000 hectares of mangrove gardens and other gardens. 

So far, over Taka 411.52 crore has been distributed among 2,22,994 beneficiaries under the social forestry programme, the minister said. 
Replying to a question, he said programmes will be organised in 100 educational institutions of Dhaka city marking the day. 

"Arrangements will be made to send text messages and add welcome tunes through all mobile phone operators. On the occasion of Environment Day, children's drawing competition, debate competition and slogan competition will be organised," Shahab Uddin said. 

He said seminars and discussions on environmental issues and environmental awareness campaigns will also be arranged.
Replying to another question, the minister said the government is working to control all kinds of pollution, including noise and air pollution. 

He said the effluent treatment plants (ETPs) set up at industries are being brought under online monitoring.