The government plans to plant 2.7 million saplings in protected forests across Ukhia and Teknaf over five years, with local communities urged to help protect them.
Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Forests, Environment and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam visited protected forest areas in Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar district on Sunday and planted a Chailta sapling during an inspection of a 40-hectare protected forest in the Rangikhali area of Hnila.
Faridul arrived in the area at around 12:30 pm and inspected the protected forest at Hnila Rangikhali, where he planted the sapling after completing his visit.
The minister was accompanied by Chattogram Divisional Forest Conservator Mihi Kumar Dey, Cox’s Bazar Forest Division Conservator Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Forest Conservator Mohammad Monirul Islam, who is responsible for Ukhia and Teknaf in southern Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf Range Officer Abdur Rashid and Hnila and Madhyam Hnila Beat Officer Mohammad Hossain.
Members of law enforcement agencies, forest protection teams and local journalists were also present.
Faridul said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had decided that around 2.7 million saplings of various species, including fruit-bearing, timber and medicinal trees, would be planted in the protected forest areas of Ukhia and Teknaf under the southern Cox’s Bazar forest division over the next five years.
“Planting these saplings is the responsibility of the government, but their maintenance is also the responsibility of local people alongside the relevant forest officials,” Faridul said.
He said such cooperation would make it easier to prevent activities that damage the environment and contribute to climate change.
