Plant at least three saplings: PM urges all

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BEIJING: People walking across a bridge before an apartment building in Beijing Monday. Home prices in nearly two thirds of China's major cities fell in February from the previous month, the government said Monday, as moves to cool the red-hot property ma

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina has urged all to plant at least three saplings by each individual on open spaces including campuses of different educational institutions to protect environment and bio-diversity.
"I call upon you all including the people's representatives, government officials and people from all walks of life to plant at least three saplings of fruits bearing, timber and other medicinal trees and play a pivotal role to involve others with the government's tree plantation movement in this regard," she said.
She was inaugurating a three- month National Tree Plantation Movement and one-month National Tree Fair-2010 at the city's Bangabandhu International Conference Centre Tuesday, reports UNB.
Presided over by state minister for Environment and Forest Hasan Mahmud, the function was addressed by secretary to the ministry Dr Mihir Kanti Majumder and chief conservator of Forest Md Abdul Mutaleb.
Highlighting the contribution of trees in poverty alleviation, employment generation and protecting environment, Hasina said her government had undertaken various programmes for increasing the country's forest resources to this end through creating of social afforestation.
"We are also working for creating a green belt across the coast to protect it from natural calamities besides saving bio-diversity and environment," she added.