Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, announced that the government will begin efforts to recover the Sal forest in Tangail from March.
Speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on "Restoration of Madhupur Sal Forest through Co-management" held at the Forest Department headquarters in Dhaka on Tuesday, the environment adviser said that a plan of action will be developed considering the needs of forest-dependent communities.
She said: "The plan will be updated as necessary, and a gazette-notified committee will be formed by March. A village forest law will be introduced to define the rights of forest-dependent communities and the responsibilities of the Forest Department."
Rizwana said that restoring lost forests is crucial for protecting nature, adding that everyone must come forward to protect the country’s forests and ensure the participation of local communities in the restoration process.
She also stressed the need to resolve harassment-driven forest-related lawsuits quickly and said that the Forest Department should collaborate with experts and forest-dependent communities.
The adviser mentioned that the Forest Department would reforest 150 acres as part of the restoration efforts.
Active participation of local communities is essential for the success of this initiative. Their knowledge, experience, and support will be invaluable, she said.
Senior officials of the ministry, environmentalists, researchers, media representatives, and members of local forest-dependent communities participated in the workshop.
