We highly appreciate the newly appointed Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury’s 100-day work plan which focuses on his priority areas such as pollution control, waste management, forest and biodiversity conservation and climate change. His work plan is seen as very crucial as an influential quarter continues grabbing rivers and waterbodies and cutting hills making many areas in the country vulnerable to environmental threat.
The country has lost 87 percent of its wetlands in seven north-east districts in the last 35 years. The wetlands in Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria, shrank drastically due to illegal occupation by in influential people.
The water bodies like haors, baors, beels, jheels, lakes, are the precious gifts of nature and the rivers are the lifeline of a country. But the fact is that the government’s commitments always remain unfulfilled due to obstacles by vested interest group.
Influential quarter continues
grabbing rivers and waterbodies
and cutting hills making many
areas in the country vulnerable
to environmental threat
Therefore, the government’s all efforts to protect the rivers are going in vain despite the Prime Minister’s strict instructions to protect them. Unplanned construction, grabbing, adverse impact of climate change, change of river flow and siltation in haor area may worsen the overall situation in coming days.
The authorities concerned sometimes conduct raids to prevent grabbing of rivers and water bodies, hill cutting. Such destruction of hills and trees, grabbing of wetlands and rivers over the years have made the environment vulnerable. Different environmental issues, including hill cutting, grabbing of forest, rivers and waterbodies and hilly land were discussed widely but all bite the dust. Our forests are getting destroyed due to mindless deforestation and earth cutting. The government should take effective action plan and strengthen monitoring to protect the national resources.
So, all concerned must extend cooperation to the new environment minister and officials concerned in making his 100-day work plan a success. We believe that Saber Hossain Chowdhury-led ministry through various programmes will be able to work for a sustainable environment suitable for living.