TDS Desk:

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on Tuesday announced that the government will commence efforts to recover the Sal forest in Tangail from March.

She also said that restoring lost forests is crucial for protecting nature and biodiversity.

Speaking at a workshop titled “Restoration of Madhupur Sal Forest through Co-management,” held on Tuesday at the Forest Department headquarters in Dhaka, the adviser said that an action plan will be formulated, addressing the needs of forest-dependent communities.

The plan will be periodically updated, and a gazette-notified committee is set to be established by March.

Additionally, a village forest rule will be introduced to define the rights of forest-dependent communities and the responsibilities of the forest department.

She highlighted the importance of involving local communities in the restoration process, emphasising their knowledge, experience, and active participation as key to the initiative’s success.

The forest department aims to reforest 150 acres of the Sal forest as part of the restoration programme, she said.

The adviser also called for the swift resolution of forest-related lawsuits, which often result in harassment, and urged the forest department to collaborate with experts and forest-dependent communities to ensure sustainable outcomes.

The workshop was chaired by Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury.