Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who heads the ministries of environment and water resources, has said the government will formulate a concrete action plan to protect the Sundarbans.
She made the announcement on Tuesday while presiding over a meeting on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the ministry’s conference room.
Rizwana stressed the need for not only a solid action plan but also an effective coordination mechanism to ensure implementation.
“The Sundarbans is our only one mangrove forest. We all must come together to save it,” she said.
She noted that if any risks to the Sundarbans are identified, both the Forest Department and the Department of Environment must immediately raise the issue, prompting timely action by relevant government agencies.
The adviser also instructed the Department of Environment to monitor the environmental impacts of cement factories in the southwest region.
Additionally, she called upon her ministry to prepare a clear and immediate work plan to determine urgent conservation actions.
Highlighting the importance of a bottom-up process for Sundarbans conservation, Rizwana said: “The capacity of the Forest Department must be enhanced to prevent illegal activities.”
