Bangladesh plans large-scale coastal afforestation and action to recover encroached forest land, aiming to boost forest cover, strengthen conservation efforts and address environmental challenges.
Bangladesh plans to launch large-scale tree plantation programmes in coastal and char areas to address forest shortages and reclaim encroached forest land, Environment Minister Abdul Awwal Mintu said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an exchange meeting with officials of the Forest Department at its headquarters in Agargaon, the minister said the initiative aligns with the government’s election commitments and aims to restore the country’s declining forest coverage.
“Afforestation programmes will be undertaken in coastal regions, especially in char areas, in line with our electoral pledges. This will help overcome the deficit in forest resources,” he said as the chief guest at the meeting.
Mintu also said the ministry would take necessary steps to recover forest land that has been illegally occupied.
He instructed divisional and district-level forest officials to submit written reports outlining their challenges and operational constraints. Based on these submissions, the ministry will prepare a comprehensive checklist to prioritise actions on forest conservation, prevention of deforestation and eviction of illegal occupation.
State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam, who attended the meeting as a special guest, urged field officials to collect accurate data on encroached forest land. “Necessary actions will be taken based on reliable information,” he said.
He also noted that operations to curb piracy in the Sundarbans are ongoing.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury and attended by ministry Secretary Md Raihan Kawsar, Additional Secretary Shamima Begum and Conservator of Forests RSM Munirul Islam, along with senior officials from the department’s headquarters and field offices.
Source: BSS.
