The government has undertaken a plan to bring 6,538 hectares of land and 621km from nine coastal districts under the social afforestation programme.
Environment and Forest Minister Anwar Hossain yesterday told Jatiya Sangsad that the aforementioned land would be brought under the social afforestation programme during the current financial year.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Didarul Alam, he also said that the government has undertaken “Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project” financed by Bangladesh Climate Change Resilient Fund to ensure afforestation in the coastal region.
Of the land, 2,624 hectares of land would be brought under mangrove gardening, 2,305 hectares for buffer zone garden, 135 hectares for enrichment garden, 1,376 hectares for core zone garden, 98 hectares for non-mangrove garden, 304 kilometres for goalpata garden and 317 kilometres for strip garden, the minister said.
Anwar Hossain said that the social afforestation programme would contribute to the national economy, maintaining the balance in ecology, environment and biodiversity, and reducing risks of natural calamities and desertification.