The Directorate General of Health Education in Bangladesh has announced that every new medical student will plant a tree on their first day of class in the 2025–26 academic year. The initiative will be part of a centrally organized orientation event connecting all medical colleges online, followed by individual welcome programs at each institution. The program aims to instill environmental responsibility among future doctors while marking the beginning of their medical education.

According to Professor Dr. Nazmul Hossain, Director General of the Directorate, the tree-planting initiative was introduced last year and received positive response. The broader discussion also covered government efforts to improve medical education quality, including infrastructure upgrades for older colleges and expansion projects to accommodate more students. Currently, Bangladesh has 37 public and 112 total medical colleges offering MBBS degrees.

The initiative reflects the government’s emphasis on combining academic development with social and environmental awareness among medical students, aligning with national goals for sustainable education and healthcare improvement.