Dhaka, now the busy capital of Bangladesh, showcased its rich history, culture and beauty for more than four hundred years. But with the quick growth of the city in recent decades and changes in weather, the beautiful cityscape with trees is disappearing.

There are not enough trees being planted compared to what is needed to keep the city green and healthy.

The loss of these trees not only takes away Dhaka’s beauty but also makes the city hotter, causing severe heatwaves that put people’s lives and jobs in danger. This is what the people living in the city are dealing with now.

In the middle of the city are Dhaka University and a few other places, where you can find some really old trees that have been there for hundreds of years.

These big trees remind us of Dhaka’s history of trees. Once upon a time, they used to cover the city, giving shade to many people who became tired after traveling or studying. But now, trees are disappearing in the city because people are not taking care of them as much as they should.

Since the early 1990s, Dhaka has seen a lot of tall buildings and more roads being built. But all those buildings turned this city into a place with less and less greenery and fewer wetlands. Sadly, not enough trees have been planted to make up for the loss.

Over many years, the city has turned bigger, but not enough has been done to protect the trees that were already there. As a result, some rare indigenous tree species are slowly disappearing. This is a big problem as the temperatures are increasing and more heatwaves are occurring because of climate change.

The current heatwave in Bangladesh has made it very clear that Dhaka is not doing enough to deal with the rising temperatures. As temperature keeps going up, the city feels like a hot oven, putting people at risk of getting sick. People who work outside such as rickshaw pullers and traffic police find it especially hard because they are out in the sun all day.

The big difference in temperature between busy parts of the city and green places like Ramna Park and Suhrawardy Udyan shows just how important trees are in cooling down the city.

Even though experts suggest that 20 to 25 per cent of Dhaka should be covered with trees, the reality is much different. According to Global Forest Watch, only about 5.9 per cent of Dhaka has trees. This makes the problem worse by making the city hotter and less able to handle extreme weather.

Trees are mostly found in certain places like Dhaka Botanical Garden, National Zoo, Ramna Park, University of Dhaka, Suhrawardy Udyan, Hare Road, Gulistan Park, Osmani Udyan, Bangabhavan, Old Airport, Sangsad Bhavan, and Ganabhaban. Some small parks and neighborhoods have trees, but most of the city does not have many.

However, there are some rooftop gardens on certain buildings, which give us a little bit of hope in the middle of all the concrete.

The efforts made by Dhaka North City Corporation to plant trees in slum areas and along roadsides are praiseworthy steps toward solving the problem.

They are even giving a 10 per cent tax break for rooftop gardens, which is great. But it is not just the government’s job to protect Dhaka’s trees. Everyone who lives in the city needs to work together and take care of the trees. That means planting trees on rooftops, balconies, and empty spaces near their homes.

But it is really important to plant trees that are from this locality, not from other places. Trees from other places might not be as helpful for us as the ones that belong here.

If we plant trees that are from our area and plant fruit trees, we can make sure we have enough food from them and keep the city cool at the same time. Trees like mango and banyan are perfect ones for cities like Dhaka because they can grow well even in busy places and near buildings. Researchers from Dhaka University found that both mango and banyan trees be beneficial for the city people.

We need to take some effective measures to plant more trees in Dhaka city. Firstly, when we plant trees, we should choose trees that are native to our area and those that give fruits. Secondly, we need to educate people about the importance of planting trees. We can do this by arranging events and rallies and talking to students at schools encouraging them to plant more trees.

The government agencies, non-profit groups, and people in local communities can work together for big tree plantation projects. Besides, it is also important to allocate enough space for trees while planning new infrastructures, buildings, and roads in the city. By collectively working towards these goals, we can strive towards a greener and more sustainable future for Dhaka.

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The writer is the Director, Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (PID Feature)