& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Moriarty Visits Lawachhara

'Conserve forests involving people dependent on them'

IQBAL SlDDIQUEE, Back From Launc/i/uim
US Ambassador James F Moriarty has said forests in Bangladesh will be depleted in less than 15 years if the current rate of destruction continues unabated.
He called for immediate interventions by the government, otherwise millions of people who are dependent on forests, will lose their livelihoods.
The ambassador was addressing the members of press at the conference room of Bangladesh Tea Research Institute after attending a consultative meeting on Conservation and co-management of Lawachhara National Park' on Tuesday night.
ChiefWhip of the Jatiya Sangsad Abdus Shahid. Forest and Environment Secretary Dr Mihir Kami Majumder, Chief Conservator of Forest Md Abdul Motaleb
and USAID Mission Director Denise Rollinss were present on the occasion.
The envoy said Lawachhara forest is a matter of pride for Bangladesh as it is an internationally acclaimed ecosystem and home to one of the globally threatened primate species the hoolock gibbon.
The 1250-hectare forest is also a home to many varieties of plants and animals apart from an ethnically diverse human communities Tipra, Khasia. Manipui, Santal, Garo and Bangalee who live there in harmony.
Moriarty said the US-funded 'Integrated Protected Area Co-Management Project (1PAC) is bringing a change in the total system of forest management.
The authorities in Bangladesh have already realised that it is not possible to protect the huge resources without direct involvement of the people, who depend on them for years, he added.
IPAC is promoting collaborative management of natural resources. It brings communities and the government agencies together in a process that can provide for more effective conservation of protected areas.
Asked about the payment of compensation for the huge gas burnt during the American company's exploration and blow-out at the Lawachhara forest area, the US ambassador said, “1 am not fully aware of it as I was not here at that time. However, I will check it."
Meanwhile, activists of Sujon, Bapa, Sammilita Natya Parishad, Anushilon Charka and others formed a human chain at Srimangal upazila headquarters on Tuesday afternoon demanding punitive measures against those involved in the destruction of Lawachhara forests.