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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Environment & Climate

Bishkhali riverbank turns green as 50,000 saplings take root in Bagerhat

From Daily Star · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Ongoing story
  • More than 50,000 saplings have been planted along about 50 kilometres of the Bishkhali river in Bagerhat’s Morelganj and Kachua upazilas after dredging work.
  • The Bangladesh Forest Department says local beneficiaries will receive a share of the trees’ benefits, while landowners and villagers have provided private land for the project.
  • The saplings must survive seasonal floods, storms and river erosion for the green belt to endure.

More than 50,000 saplings now line both banks of the Bishkhali river in Bangladesh’s Bagerhat district, where a plantation drive followed recent dredging work in Morelganj and Kachua upazilas.

The planting stretches roughly 50 kilometres, with saplings placed about two feet apart on government and privately owned land. Many have already produced fresh foliage during the monsoon. Field staff have monitored the trees since June, according to Shaheen Kabir, divisional forest officer of the Bangladesh Forest Department’s Social Forestry Division.

A designated share of the benefits will go to local beneficiaries, and a specific portion will be given to the union council. These trees will ultimately benefit local people.

· Shaheen KabirThe forest official explained how the plantation’s future benefits will be distributed.

The project includes neem, sissoo, mahogany, babla, jam, wood apple, amla, haritaki, wax apple, tamarind, guava, Indian olive, arjun and casuarina. Workers secured the young trees with wooden stakes to support their early growth.

Local landowners have supported the initiative by allocating parts of their property. Shankar Pal said trees had been planted on 12 kathas of his land and that he hoped they would help protect the riverbank. Shubhal Das, whose 12 kathas were also included, said the saplings would need close attention. Jagannath Das provided one bigha, while Alhadi Das contributed one katha and said the project would make the area greener, although time would show whether the trees survived.

Trees have been planted on 12 kathas of my land. I believe these saplings will help protect our riverbank, and I hope they grow strong.

· Shankar PalThe local landowner described his support for planting on private property.

Shaheen Kabir said local beneficiaries would receive a designated share of the benefits, with another portion going to the union council. Social Forestry Division data says 326,000 saplings were planted across 326 kilometres in Bagerhat between fiscal years 2021-22 and 2025-26. The division has also developed 60 hectares of mangrove forest in Rampal, Morelganj and Sharankhola.

The new riverbank belt now faces its hardest test. Seasonal floods, storms and erosion will determine whether the saplings survive and the project achieves its long-term aim.

If these trees survive, it will be a big change for the riverbank.

· Jagannath DasThe landowner highlighted the potential effect of the plantation if the trees endure.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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