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CA warns against forest gobblers

UNB, Dhaka
Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the government is determined to deal with strong hand any ill attempt of destroying trees and forests.
He said zero tolerance has been ensured in all spheres of forest administration to check corruption.
“Enemies of trees are enemies of nature, enemies of mankind," he said, adding that the protector will not be allowed to plunder country's forest resources.
The head of the caretaker government was inaugurating the three-month-long National Tree Plantation Campaign 2008 at a function, organised by the Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forest, at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
The theme of this year's Tree Plantation Campaign is: Tree
Plantation will minimise storm, gust and tidal surge.
He also distributed the Chief Adviser's National Award 2007 in Tree Planting among the first prizewinners with crests and certificates.
The CA handed over two special awards-one for conserving natural forest with biodiversity and another for best production of timber - at the function.
He also distributed dividends for social forestry to two beneficiaries — Md Abbas Alt of Naogaon district (Tk 549,411) and Phool Khatun of Gazipur district (Tk 397,800).
The CA released a commemorative postcard ofTk 2 denomination, printed by the Bangladesh Postal Department marking the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair 2008.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for the Ministry of Environment
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and Forest Raja Debashish Roy chaired the function. Environment and Forest Secretary AHM Rezaul
Kabir and Chief Conservator of Forest AKM Shamsuddin also spoke at the programme.
Advisers, special assistants to the chief adviser, people involved in social forestry, tree lovers, environmental activists and distinguished personalities were present at the function.
The CA in his address said the government has taken up a programme "Greenery Bangladesh” to check adverse impact of climate change and for socioeconomic development of the country.
Under the programme, some 80-100 million saplings of fruitbearing and medicinal trees would be planted across the country during the current year, he said.
The CA said nearly 180 million saplings arc available at the nurseries run by the government, NGOs and private owners for sale this year.
He hoped that the Greenery Bangladesh' programme would be successful through active a.id united participation of people.
The CA urged all to join the tree plantation campaign by planting at least three saplings each - of timber, fruit bearing and medicinal trees. "Everybody irrespective of party and opinion will have to work together to make the campaign a success,” he said.
He termed this year's theme of tree planting campaign appropriate and timely considering back-to-back floods and the devastating
cyclone Sidr. He said the government is giving emphasis on facing "natural disaster in a natural way."
He hoped that all concerned would come forward to build up a wall of trees in the coastal belt as a strong deterrent to disaster. He suggested planting such trees in the coastal areas in consultation with the experts.
Mentioning the usefulness of trees, Fakhruddin said the importance of trees has increased signifi-cantly amid worldwide challenge of rising temperature, climate change and environmental degradation.
Referring to various researches, he said eight hectares of forestland is being destroyed every minute in the world Trees and forests are gradually diminishing in Bangladesh due to unplanned industrialisation, urbanisation, construction of roads and so on, he told the function.
He said it is essential to have forest on 25 percent of total landmass in a country to maintain environmental balance and fulfilling the demands of forest resources.
The CA said the government is implementing various programmes to increase the size of forest to 20 percent of the total landmass by 2015. At present, total area under forest in the country is only about 2.52 million hectares.
He urged all to turn the tree plantation campaign into a meaningful social movement.
Later, the CA planted a polash sapling on the premises of the conference centre.