Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan asked the forest department no longer to plant eucalyptus and acacia trees.
She instructed the department to conserve all tree species, except eucalyptus and acacia, planted along roadsides under a social forestry program.
The environment adviser made the directives in a special meeting on Tuesday held at the Forest Department office in Agargaon, Dhaka.
She emphasized formulating biodiversity rules for protection and involving students in wildlife and forest activities at the range office level.
Rizwana underscored the need for establishing management committees for protected forests such as Lathitila, Chunati, Satchari and Lawachara.
She called for an end to ecotourism and picnics in these forests and emphasized stopping music and noise disturbances to maintain the natural environment of the forests.
“Illegal encroachments on forest land must be removed, and no lobbying would be tolerated. Conflicts with forest dwellers should be addressed, and harassment cases against the Garo community should be withdrawn,” the adviser said.
She directed relevant officials to implement a strategic plan, a gender policy, and a grievance redress system, and ensure transparency in project information.
Additional secretaries of the ministry ASM Humayun Kabir and Dr Fahmida Khanam, Joint Secretary Shamima Begum, Chief Conservator of Forests Amir Hossain Chowdhury and senior officials of the forest department were present at the meeting.
