Bushra Afreen, the chief heat officer of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), launched a tree plantation program, aiming to plant 200,000 trees.
The inaugural ceremony took place at Mayor Anisul Hoque Road in the capital's Tejgaon on Tuesday. DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam graced the occasion with his presence, showing support for the initiative.
The primary objective of Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afreen is to implement measures that effectively reduce the city's temperature. Participating in the tree plantation program marks her commitment to this cause. She highlighted the benefits of trees, including temperature regulation and increased oxygen supply.
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"We have initiated tree plantation in Dhaka city, understanding that not all changes happen overnight. These trees will serve future generations, making the city safer as we plant more and more trees," said Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afreen.
In addition to tree plantation, she shared that DNCC has undertaken various undisclosed measures to combat heat-related challenges. These plans encompass initiatives like cool zones and cooling centres.
However, since they are part of a long-term strategy, their implementation will require some time. As she has been in her position for only a month, Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afreen emphasized the need for further study and survey to achieve optimal results.
Bushra Afreen's appointment came about through a memorandum of understanding between DNCC and the US-based Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre (Arsht-Rock), which aim to collaborate in their efforts to mitigate temperature rise in Dhaka.
