Photo: PMO

DHAKA, July 15, 2026 (BSS)- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today encourages the children to keep their schools premises clean and plant at least one tree every year.

“Keep your school clean. Whenever you see any litter, pick it up and put it in the proper dustbin,” he told schoolchildren while visiting stalls of government primary school students under the 'Green School' programme at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital today.

The Prime Minister asked the children to help each other and encourage taking care of the trees they plant.    

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 'Green School' programme by planting a neem sapling and later visited different stalls at the exhibition. 

Students and teachers from 60 districts showcased their innovative educational activities, local heritage, handicrafts, environmental initiatives and creative learning projects in the exhibition.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister warmly interacted with the children, teachers and school authorities and praised their creativity and encouraged them to continue their innovative initiatives.

Students enthusiastically demonstrated their handicrafts, models and teaching materials before the Prime Minister while teachers briefed him on students' presence, playground facilities and various educational activities being conducted under the ‘Joyful Learning’ and ‘Digital Education’ programmes.

The Prime Minister thanked both students and teachers for their efforts.

He also spoke with the children about sports, asking them what games they liked to play, and listened attentively as they explained their activities.

At one stall, students told the Prime Minister that they regularly save a portion of their tiffin money to help classmates from underprivileged families and to share meals together.

Being delighted to hear this, Tarique Rahman encouraged them, saying, “You are doing a very good job.” 

The students also shared details about their daily class routines, tiffin breaks and extracurricular activities.

At one stall, children requested him to plant a sapling in a flower pot so that it could later be planted at their school as a lasting memory of his visit.

The Prime Minister immediately agreed and planted a sapling on the pot. 

When the students requested to take a photograph with him, Tarique Rahman entered the stall with smiling and posed with them.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education organised the programmes, which included the Primary Education Medal-2026 award giving ceremony, launching of the nationwide ‘Green School’ tree plantation campaign and an exhibition of innovative primary education initiatives.

Earlier, the Prime Minister planted a neem sapling to formally launch the nationwide tree plantation campaign in all government primary schools. As part of the initiative, around 200,000 saplings are being planted simultaneously today on the premises of primary schools across the country.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, Prime Minister's Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education Dr Mahdi Amin, Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Sakhawat Hossain and Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman were present.