The government has compiled a red list of 1,000 endangered plant species, Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin said on Sunday.
The aim of this list is to bolster conservation and management efforts for diverse plant species throughout the nation.
Among the 1,000, the government has decided to actively replant 394 endangered plant species, marking a significant stride towards biodiversity conservation in the country, the environment minister stated at the "Final Dissemination Workshop on National Red List of Plants" event, organized by the Forest Department.
The result of this research will play a crucial role in protecting the environment and biodiversity of Bangladesh, said Shahab Uddin.
He underscored that the red list is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and developing national policies for the protection of endangered plant species.
It will also serve as a significant resource for reporting to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and CITES (a multilateral treaty aimed at safeguarding endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade), he added.
The red list assessment disclosed that out of the 1,000 plant species, eight are essentially extinct, five are critically endangered, 127 are endangered, 262 are vulnerable, 69 are near threatened, 271 are of least concern and 258 have been identified as data deficient.
The minister directed the Forest Department to prioritize the replanting of the critically endangered species.
"To maintain the balance of Bangladesh's ecosystem and protect the existence of other endangered plants, conservation activities should be undertaken as a priority," he noted.
Shahab Uddin further suggested that the endangered plants identified in the results be incorporated into the country's afforestation program.
He also proposed a comprehensive assessment of the remaining 3,000 plant species in the country, to be completed and the list updated periodically.
"The proper implementation of existing laws and regulations for the protection of endangered plant species is essential. If everyone works to the best of their ability from their respective position, Bangladesh will emerge as a role model in the world in terms of environment and environmental development," Shahab Uddin concluded.
Various government and private university teachers and researchers, officials from different ministries and non-governmental organizations, as well as representatives from the World Bank and several development aid organizations, spoke on the occasion.