The finals of the Wild Animal Olympiad were held in Dhaka
Nearly 45%45% of flowering plants are at risk of extinction due to human activities, including climate change. Scientists believe that species ranging from orchids to important crop species are currently under threat of extinction.
Various types of wild animals, including trees, are in danger of extinction in Bangladesh. Older trees are being preserved as memorial trees in many countries. There is no precedent for memorial trees in Bangladesh.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, a prominent environmentalist and advisor in Bangladesh’s Interim Government, in charge of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’ ministry, suggested designating a tree in Bangladesh as a memorial tree.
She has proposed transforming a 73-year-old cardamom tree within the premises of Vikarunnisa Noon School in the capital into a memorial tree. She made this proposal during the closing and prize distribution ceremony of the Wildlife Olympiad 2024 at Vikarunnisa Noon School and College, Dhaka, on November 9.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, ‘It is necessary to involve the youth in protecting the world from climate change. If climate change is not prevented, 50% of the world’s biodiversity will be lost by 2050.
“As a result, many well-known fish, birds, and deer will vanish. It cannot be allowed to happen. The current government is giving utmost importance to environment protection in the formation of new Bangladesh. I want to start and leave all necessary good initiatives including forest conservation and pollution control,” she added.
The Wildlife Olympiad raises awareness about wild animals and ecosystems among secondary and higher secondary students, promoting the protection and preservation of wildlife. Vikarunnisa Noon School and College, Dhaka, organized the national phase of the Olympiad throughout the day.
Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh, Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Forest Conservator of the Directorate of Forests, and Majeda Begum, Principal of Vikarunisa Noon School and College spoke at the closing ceremony.
This Olympiad is organized for the first time by the Forest Department to create awareness among students about wild animals. 1 lakh 5 thousand 358 students from all over the country participated in it through registration.
The District Olympiad phase has been held in several stages in all the districts of the country. The national phase of Wildlife Olympiad was held that day with the participation of champions from 64 districts in Bangladesh.
After the opening ceremony in the morning, 359 students of school and college classes participated in the final examination of 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Prizes of 50, 30 and 20 thousand taka are given to the first, second and third placeholders respectively in each category in the national phase. Among the best, Tabsir Rahman of Kurigram Government High School won the first place in the school category and became the champion of the champions.
Farhan Monir of Gopalganj SM Model Government High School and Barisal Cadet College got second and third place respectively. Mashrafe bin Hasan.
At the college level, Jerin Sultana from Dhaka Cantonment Girls Public School and College was the champion.
Tanzim Ahsan and Yasin Khan of Barisal Cadet College won second and third place respectively. Apart from this, a total of 40 students from school and college categories were awarded as runners-up.
Tabsir Rahman of Kurigram Government High School told Prothom Alo, I got an opportunity to learn about climate change by participating in the Olympiad.
Mashrafe bin Hasan, a student of Barisal Cadet College, said, “I participated in the Olympiad for the first time. Learned a lot of information about wild animals and environment from online.”
