Bangladesh curbs forest land leases, tightens tree felling

Bangladesh has approved a new forest and tree conservation ordinance that curbs forest land leases, centralizes control with the Forest Department, and enforces stricter rules on tree cutting nationwide.

Bangladesh has moved to sharply restrict the leasing of forest land and impose stricter controls on tree cutting under a new ordinance aimed at strengthening forest and biodiversity protection, officials said.

Under the Forest and Tree Conservation Ordinance 2025, approved by the Advisory Council in early December and now awaiting vetting by the Law Ministry before promulgation, district administrators will no longer be allowed to lease forest land even if such land is recorded in their names. Management authority over these lands will rest exclusively with the Forest Department, and prior approval will be mandatory for cutting trees in a wide range of areas.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan described the ordinance as “groundbreaking” after its approval by the Advisory Council. Forest officials say the measure will halt a long-standing practice in which district administrations leased forest land without informing the Forest Department.

Bangladesh has a total forest area of 6.363 million acres. Of this, 91,000 acres are classified as reserved forests and 28,000 acres as acquired forests. These two categories of land are recorded in the name of district administrators.

According to sub-section 2 of section 6 in chapter three of the ordinance, reserved forests and acquired forests will continue to be recorded in the name of district administrators, but their management will remain with the Forest Department. Such forest land cannot be leased out. Whether trees exist on the land or not, these areas will be officially identified as forest land.

Bangladesh has a total forest area of 6.363 million acres. Of this, reserved forests account for 91,000 acres and acquired forests for 28,000 acres. These lands are recorded in the name of district administrators and are included in government Khatian No. 1, commonly known as the khas land record.

Although Bangladesh’s survey regulations specify that such land should be marked as non-leasable in the land records, this provision was never incorporated. As a result, district administrators have leased out forest land to individuals and institutions. The Forest Department has been lobbying the Ministry of Land for nearly two decades to amend the land records.

Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury said the Forest Department had long faced challenges related to forest land records. He said the new ordinance would act as a safeguard for forest conservation.

Under section 29 of the Forest Act 1927 enacted during British rule, forest land declared reserved through government gazette notifications for the purpose of conserving forests, wildlife and biodiversity is designated as reserved forest. Local forest-dependent communities are allowed to move through these forests and use them for grazing and fuelwood collection unless the government imposes specific restrictions, in which case movement, grazing and fuelwood collection can be prohibited.

Acquired forest land refers to land acquired by the government and handed over to the Forest Department for afforestation.

Forest officials say that when district administrations lease forest land, the Forest Department is not informed. The issue only comes to light when leaseholders attempt to take possession. Even after seeking details, the Forest Department often receives no information, leaving it without precise data on how much forest land has been leased.

Forest land may be used with Cabinet approval only when there is no alternative in the national interest. In such cases, neutral environmental and social impact assessments must be conducted, along with compensatory afforestation and consideration of ecosystem damage and risks to endangered plants and wildlife.

The ordinance states that after it comes into force, the Forest Department and the Department of Land Records and Surveys will promptly begin demarcating forest boundaries and updating land records. It also mandates that if khas land is located adjacent to forest areas, any lease must be preceded by notification to the Forest Department and a joint survey by the Forest Department and the district administration to clearly mark boundaries.

The ordinance bans the use of forest land for any purpose other than afforestation, with the same limited national interest exception requiring Cabinet approval and strict environmental safeguards.

Former chief conservator of forests and former IUCN country director Ishteaq Ahmad described the ordinance as a major step for forest conservation. He said the first draft of the law was prepared in 2011 and that it is being issued as an ordinance nearly 14 years later. He added that the measure would end the trend of leasing forest land.

Tree cutting approval mandatory
Within three months of the ordinance taking effect, the government will publish a list specifying which tree species may or may not be cut. Approval from the Forest Department will be required for cutting trees in unclassified forest areas, social forestry zones, government and autonomous institutions, educational institutions and public spaces.

To cut permitted tree species, applicants must submit a request using a prescribed form to the tree conservation officer. Divisional forest officers will now also serve as tree conservation officers, who must decide within 30 days after verification. The officer must also ensure that an equal number of trees are planted to compensate for those cut.

No approval will be required for cutting diseased trees, trees uprooted by storms, trees damaged by natural disasters, trees obstructing road traffic or trees posing threats to public safety and human life.

The report was published by Prothom Alo, a leading Bengali-language daily newspaper in Bangladesh.