The government has imposed a ban on the construction of new industrial establishments or projects within 10km radius of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, located in southwestern Bangladesh.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a gazette notification on Monday.
“Exercising the power conferred under Section 5 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has imposed a ban on the construction of new industrial establishments or projects within 10km radius, declared as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA), surrounding the Sundarbans reserve forest,” the notification said.
However, in light of the ECA declaration, environmentally sustainable and planned activities aimed at conserving the natural environment, improving environmental quality, controlling and mitigating pollution, and ensuring sustainable management may be undertaken in the area.
“This decision is considered a significant step toward maintaining the ecological balance in the ECA region surrounding the Sundarbans,” said a ministry press release.
