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Master plan to increase forest coverage up to 20pc soon: PM

Staff Correspondent
The government is going to prepare a master plan to increase the country's forest coverage up to 20 percent in next six years, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday while inaugurating the three-month countrywide National Afforestation Movement'.
The government is working on the plan to increase the forest coverage by 2015 under a Tk 450-crore project through social afforestation, she said this at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city.
The premier also inaugurated the Tree Fair-2009 on the Dhaka International Trade Fair premises at Sher-e Bangla Nagar.
Though a country' has to have at least 25 percent forest coverage of its total area, Bangladesh has only 10 to 12 percent (25 lakh hectares).
Hasina called on all the 15 crore people of the country to plant at least three trees each, saying that it would save the next generation.
"We must sustain trees and forests as they sustain our existence," said the premier.
It remains a wonder why the country lacks adequate forestland, though its soil is so ferule for tree plantation, she said, adding that trees and forests protect human beings against natural calamities like cy clone, droughts and floods.
Temperature is going up in the country by 0.4 degree Celsius every year during rainy
season and the extent of cyclones is going high as a result, she said.
The government has already taken a project titled 'Community-based adaptation to climate change through coastal afforestation in Bangladesh'.
"We are going to undertake a river dredging project to maintain navigability, enhance water retention capacity and conserve the environment,” said the PM.
1 lasina also called for more and more forestation to face possible sea-level rise because of the global wanning.
She gave away Prime Minister’s National Award-2008 to 45 institutions and individuals under 16 categories for their significant contribution to the tree plantation campaign.
The PM also handed over shares of profits earned in social afforestation among six beneficiaries, including three women.
Secretary (in-charge) Dr Mihir Kanti Majumdar said in his welcome address that Bangladesh is one of the biorich countries in the world and the countrymen should not remain poor.
Chief Conservator of Forest Md Abdul Motaleb was present at the event with State Minister for Environment and Forest Mostafizur Rahman in the chair.
A host of government and foreign dignitaries, among others, attended the programme.