Dhaka’s Green Initiative: Second Miyawaki Urban Forest Opens in Uttara
Dhaka took a significant step towards a greener future. The city celebrated the opening of its second Miyawaki urban forest. This new forest is located at Uttara Sector-17 lakeside. Shakti Foundation for Disadvantaged Women, Mutual Trust Bank PLC (MTB), and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) partnered on this project. The inauguration took place on July 28, 2026. This date observed World Nature Conservation Day.
This initiative uses the Miyawaki method. It aims to bring back green spaces in the city. The goal is to make Dhaka healthier and more resilient to climate change.
Md Riazul Islam, chairman of RAJUK, was the chief guest. He spoke about the important role of urban forests. He said they help create a greener and more climate-resilient Dhaka. He asked communities, banks, and others to help care for these projects. This will ensure their long-term success.
Syed Mahbubur Rahman, MTB’s managing director and CEO, was the special guest. He talked about the need for green spaces in fast-growing cities. He remembered Dhaka as much greener when he was a child. He stressed that city development must include caring for nature.
Imran Ahmed, deputy executive director of Shakti Foundation, chaired the event. He said planting trees is just the start. He added that nurturing the trees is a bigger task. He explained that proper care in the first two years helps them grow into strong forests. These forests will benefit people and the environment for many years.
The new Miyawaki forest covers 2,285 square meters. It has 6,100 trees. These trees belong to 93 different kinds of native fruit, flower, and medicinal species.
This project shows how the government, private sector, and development partners can work together. They are finding nature-based solutions. These solutions improve urban life and help Dhaka face climate challenges.
