PM urges every primary student to plant one tree each year

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on students of all government primary schools across the country to plant at least one tree every year, stressing that environmental awareness must begin at an early age.

He made the call on Wednesday (July 15) while addressing the Primary Education Award-2026 ceremony at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Agargaon, Dhaka.

At the event, the Prime Minister also formally inaugurated a nationwide tree plantation programme for government primary schools.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the initiative is part of the government's commitment to implementing pledges 17 and 18 of its election manifesto, aimed at nurturing children's creativity, leadership and overall development.

As part of the programme, students from Classes III to V participated in a wide range of competitions, including sports, cultural events, subject-based quizzes, cub scouting and debate contests.

The competitions began at the upazila level before progressing through district and divisional stages to the national finals.

The ministry said more than 2.18 lakh students from primary schools across the country took part in the nationwide competition. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the best-performing students were honoured with the Primary Education Award-2026.

The government also recognised outstanding contributions to the country's primary education sector by honouring individuals and institutions.

In the individual category, 12,384 recipients were selected across 15 categories, while 65,546 educational institutions competed in two institutional categories, with the top performers receiving national recognition.

The government hopes the combined focus on academic excellence, extracurricular development and environmental stewardship will help build a more skilled, responsible and environmentally conscious generation.