2024-10-03 03:19:25
Published: 22:42, 2 October 2024
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has recommended the cancellation of the approval of the project to set up a safari park in the protected forest at Lathila of Moulvibazar. A letter has been sent to the Planning Commission from the Forest Ministry on Wednesday (October 2) in this regard.
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Moulvibazar (Phase 1) project was conditionally approved in the Ecnec meeting on 9 November 2023. According to the decision of ECNEC meeting, the ministry formed a four-member committee on 21 August 2024 to assess the impact on biodiversity to formulate recommendations regarding the project. Former Chief Conservator of Forests Istiaq Uddin Ahmed is the convener and Professor of Zoology Department of Jahangirnagar University. Mustafa Feroze, former executive director of Aranyak Foundation Farid Uddin Ahmed and Imran Ahmed, forest conservator of wildlife and nature conservation area of the Department of Forests, were formed as members of this committee.
The committee formed by the ministry has recommended the cancellation of the project. According to the committee’s report, Lathitila Forest is part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and is an elephant corridor. The construction of safari park here will have a negative impact on the forest area. Taking into account the impacts of the proposed safari park on the forest biodiversity and taking into account the views of the local stakeholders, the committee felt that the safari park should not be built in this natural forest. Therefore, the project is recommended to be cancelled.
The Forest Department has been directed to work on conservation of degraded forest areas and threatened biodiversity.
Naeemuddin/NH