The foundation stone of the 100-acre Mithapukur Eco Park has been unveiled at Shalti Gopalpur under Mithapukur upazila Friday afternoon.
The chairman of parliamentary standing committee on planning ministry, HN Ashikur Rahman, launched the work on the park as the chief guest.
The forest conservator of Bogra social afforestation region Laskar Maksudur Rahman presided over the inaugural ceremony participated by the concerned senior officials of the Department of Forest and hundreds of local people from all walks in the society.
Chief forest conservator Yunus Ali, deputy chief forest conservator Ratan Kumar Majumdar, president of Rangpur unit of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Rehana Ashikur Rahman and Mithapukur upazila chairman Zakir Hossain Sarker addressed as the special guest.
Rangpur divisional forest officer Abul Kalam, president of Mithapukur upazila Awami League Mozammel Haque Mantu Mian, its Gopalpur union president Mokhlesar Rahman and general secretary Ashraf Hossain, former union chairman Faraz Uddin
Mandal, beneficiary of social afforestation programme Sohrab Hossain, also spoke.
Narrating severe consequences of environmental degradation due to climate change following global warming, the speakers asked all to save the civilization from the unthinkable catastrophes through increasing forest area to improve the situation.
Without any further delay, adequate steps must be taken right now by the industrially developed nations to adapt with adverse climate change impact that causes severe threats to environment, agriculture, ecology and bio-diversity, they said.
The chief guest narrated massive steps taken by the present government led by the prime minster, Sheikh Hasina, in improving the country’s degrading environment through turning tree plantation and social afforestation programme into social movements.
He called upon all concerned including officials of the DoF and beneficiaries of the ongoing social afforestation programme for engaging their united efforts to achieve the desired goals of the newly set up Mithapukur Eco Park.
-With BSS/New Age input
