Millions of government primary school students across Bangladesh are set to become the driving force behind a major nationwide afforestation campaign as the government launches the ambitious 'One Child, One Tree' programme, which targets the planting of 1 crore (10 million) trees.
Outlined in the national budget for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year (FY27) and integrated into the broader National Green Mission, this initiative aims to see saplings planted specifically at the homes and homesteads of students enrolled in government primary schools.
This project serves as a cornerstone of a wider national target to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years, a strategic move by the government to maintain ecological balance, restore degraded forests, preserve biodiversity, and generate green employment opportunities.
Highlighting the initiative during his budget speech, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury stated, "Under the 'One Child, One Tree Programme', the government has finalised an action plan to facilitate the planting of 1 crore trees at the homes and homesteads of students enrolled in government primary schools."
The minister further emphasized the government's environmental vision, noting, "One of the key objectives of the government is to address the challenges of climate change and to build a green and sustainable Bangladesh for future generations.
Special emphasis has been placed in the budget for FY27 on maintaining ecological balance through environmental conservation and afforestation."
By encouraging students to plant and nurture trees within their own households, the programme seeks to foster a sense of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility.
As part of this integrated approach, the government is also incorporating climate awareness into the national education curriculum.
Addressing this strategy, the Finance Minister remarked, "As part of environmental and civic responsibility, the following will be ensured: implementation of the 'One Child, One Tree' programme; inclusion of environmental conservation and climate awareness in education."
To ensure the success and long-term survival of the saplings, the government is developing a "Tree Monitoring App" designed to digitally track and monitor the trees across the country.
According to budget and climate reports, this digital mechanism will supplement existing GPS and GIS-based data collection systems used by the Department of Forests, providing a systematic and accountable method of surveillance, particularly in private homesteads where traditional monitoring is often challenging.
The "One Child, One Tree" initiative is a key component of the National Green Mission’s comprehensive afforestation strategy, which also includes large-scale planting along roads, highways, embankments and riverbanks, alongside urban and agroforestry expansion.
The broader strategy further focuses on mangrove afforestation in coastal areas, the rehabilitation of degraded shal forests, and the protection of endangered species.
Notably, the government plans to leverage 50 percent of coastal mangrove forests under carbon trading mechanisms to generate revenue.
These efforts are expected to have significant economic impacts, with budget documents projecting the creation of approximately 350,000 direct and indirect green jobs.
Summarizing the overarching goal of these policies, the Finance Minister concluded, "The Budget is built around ten strategic priorities... protecting the nation from the impacts of climate change and preserving biodiversity by transforming community-led afforestation into a green revolution... to build a sustainable, green, climate-resilient, and liveable future for generations to come."
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