Tangail schools plant native flowering trees to foster environmental awareness

To enhance the beauty of school grounds and nurture children as environmentally conscious citizens, saplings of three native flowering trees -- Krishnachura, Sonalu, and Jarul -- were planted simultaneously today in 1,623 government primary schools across Tangail.

Tangail Deputy Commissioner Sharifa Haque inaugurated the programme by planting saplings alongside students at Kodalia Government Primary School in Sadar upazila.

At the event, the DC said children are naturally curious and learn constantly from their surroundings. "Children develop to their fullest potential when they have the opportunity to grow up in a rich natural environment. To that end, a programme has been undertaken to plant three native flowering trees simultaneously in every government primary school in the district," she said.

"These trees are not just leaves and flowers -- more life gathers around them. Birds will flock to them, bees, butterflies, grasshoppers will come. All this will enrich the world of children's dreams and imagination. It will make them sensitive to the environment and, above all, help them develop into environmentally conscious people. That is the purpose of today's event," she added.

In response to a question from reporters, the DC said that during a visit to Japan, she observed such flower arrangements and the extraordinary beauty they brought to school environments. Inspired by that, she initiated a similar plan to create natural beauty by planting native flowering trees in the primary schools of Tangail.

Meanwhile, the district forest department has supported the initiative by providing the saplings. In this regard, Saleh Uddin, assistant conservator of forests in the district, said the trees are expected to bloom within the next five to six years if they grow properly.

District Primary Education Officer Md Shahabuddin said fencing will be installed around the saplings to protect them from cattle. Additionally, schoolteachers and students will take responsibility for caring for the plants to ensure their growth.