Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, April 1, 2026 (BSS)- As part of the government's electoral 
commitment to plant 25 crore trees in five years, the Roads and Highways 
Department (RHD) has officially launched a tree plantation program in 
Rajshahi.

The initiative began on Wednesday at Dargapara intersection along the 
Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj highway.
 
Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Afia Akhter formally inaugurated the program by 
planting saplings. 

On the opening day, more than a hundred saplings-including jarul, mahogany, 
mango, blackberry (jamun), kanchan, palash, and neem-were planted along the 
highway.
 
According to the Social Forestry Division of the Roads and Highways 
Department, a large-scale tree plantation initiative has been undertaken 
nationwide in the current 2025-26 fiscal year. 

Under this plan, a total of 240,000 forest, fruit-bearing, and medicinal 
trees will be planted along 100 kilometers of roads across 26 districts under 
the Rajshahi RHD zone.
 
The first phase of this extensive program began on Wednesday with the 
planting of 100 trees. Officials from RHD stated that the remaining trees 
will be planted along both sides of the highways during the upcoming monsoon 
season through a tender process.