Minister: Forest department failed to protect wild elephants
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin UNB
Pimple Barua, Chittagong
Publish : 21 Dec 2021, 10:09 PMUpdate : 21 Dec 2021, 10:09 PM
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin yesterday said the Forest Department would have to take responsibility for failing to protect elephants around the country.
“At least eight elephants have died in the last one month. Although we are not directly involved in the death of the elephants, we cannot avoid responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the elephants. We have failed in this regard,” the minister said at an event in Chittagong yesterday.
He said the Forest Department was responsible for protecting the biodiversity of Bangladesh and all animals.
“If a wild animal dies in your area, then everyone is responsible. Everyone from the forest guard to the high officials are responsible for the deaths of wild animals in the area. Public awareness is needed to prevent such untoward incidents,” Shahab Uddin said.
Minister Shahab Uddin urged the forest officials to work together for the protection of biodiversity in the country.
"You must keep yourself engaged in the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity through modern technology and creativity by involving general people in order to improve the overall environment", he said.
The minister also said that it was necessary to work with a sense of commitment to increase the forest cover to 16% of the total land area of the country by 2030 and to increase the tree cover to 24% by 2025 to achieve the SDG target.
Zero tolerance against elephant killing
At another event yesterday, Shahab Uddin said: "The government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against the killing of elephants and other wildlife."
Legal action had been taken against some people recently for allegedly killing wild elephants, the minister said.
He said the government was committed to stopping the killing of wild animals, including tigers and elephants in the country.
Mentioning that various initiatives had been taken to protect wild elephants, the environment and forest minister said elephant corridors were being restored in the country with the aim of ensuring the smooth movement of the mammoths.
Apart from creating awareness among people to this end, he said compensation was being distributed among people affected by wild elephants, he said.
At the meeting, the family of an individual killed in an elephant attack, was given Tk3 lakh and two others received Tk45,000 each as compensation for crop damage in elephant attacks.
Minister: Forest department failed to protect wild elephants
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin yesterday said the Forest Department would have to take responsibility for failing to protect elephants around the country.
“At least eight elephants have died in the last one month. Although we are not directly involved in the death of the elephants, we cannot avoid responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the elephants. We have failed in this regard,” the minister said at an event in Chittagong yesterday.
He said the Forest Department was responsible for protecting the biodiversity of Bangladesh and all animals.
“If a wild animal dies in your area, then everyone is responsible. Everyone from the forest guard to the high officials are responsible for the deaths of wild animals in the area. Public awareness is needed to prevent such untoward incidents,” Shahab Uddin said.
Minister Shahab Uddin urged the forest officials to work together for the protection of biodiversity in the country.
"You must keep yourself engaged in the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity through modern technology and creativity by involving general people in order to improve the overall environment", he said.
The minister also said that it was necessary to work with a sense of commitment to increase the forest cover to 16% of the total land area of the country by 2030 and to increase the tree cover to 24% by 2025 to achieve the SDG target.
Zero tolerance against elephant killing
At another event yesterday, Shahab Uddin said: "The government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against the killing of elephants and other wildlife."
Legal action had been taken against some people recently for allegedly killing wild elephants, the minister said.
He said the government was committed to stopping the killing of wild animals, including tigers and elephants in the country.
Mentioning that various initiatives had been taken to protect wild elephants, the environment and forest minister said elephant corridors were being restored in the country with the aim of ensuring the smooth movement of the mammoths.
Apart from creating awareness among people to this end, he said compensation was being distributed among people affected by wild elephants, he said.
At the meeting, the family of an individual killed in an elephant attack, was given Tk3 lakh and two others received Tk45,000 each as compensation for crop damage in elephant attacks.