Because of the Bangladesh weather today, social media influencers are calling for tree planting to help alleviate record-high temperatures, particularly in Dhaka. The city has seen temperatures reach up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit), resulting in heat-related deaths and causing roads to melt. This has prompted desperate people to seek relief in mosques and pray for an end to the heatwave.
In response to the Bangladesh heatwave, social media influencers have urged their followers to plant trees to help make the city more livable. Model and lawyer Peya Jannatul asked her 1.6 million Facebook followers to each plant 10 trees. A student group linked to the ruling Awami League launched a campaign to plant 500,000 trees in 10 days. A popular cleric with 4.3 million Facebook followers encouraged donations to fund the planting of 300,000 trees.
Organizations like Green Savers are translating these calls into action by allowing people to sponsor tree planting across 22 districts. For less than $2, a sponsor can fund a tree and follow its growth through digital tracking. Since 2012, the program has facilitated the planting of 66,000 trees.
However, environmental activists and experts warn that tree planting is not the only solution for the heatwave in Bangladesh 2024. Photographer and activist Amirul Rajiv emphasized the need to protect mature trees that provide shade for people, birds, and other wildlife. Mohammad Zashim Uddin, a botany professor at the University of Dhaka, noted the importance of choosing the right tree species to avoid harming local biodiversity.
City authorities have proposed a plan through 2035 that includes creating 55 new parks and 14 eco-parks to promote biodiversity. Specialists believe a coordinated approach is necessary. Md Imran Hosen, a researcher at the University of New South Wales, suggested combining tree planting with better water management, rooftop gardens, and vertical greenery to maximize cooling.
“Planting trees to cool cities is common sense, but you need to combine that with many other factors,” he said.
