Bring changes in wildlife law before enactment
Environmentalists urge govt
Environmentalists at a seminar yesterday urged the government to bring some changes in the proposed wildlife act and recognise biodiversity conservation as the top priority issue.
They said the forest department should not be authorised to conserve the wildlife and biodiversity by the act, as the department has already failed to preserve the wildlife species over the years.
“Some 16 species of animals in the country have already been extinct under supervision of the Department of Forest,” said Dr Reza Khan, an internationally recognised zoologist and former teacher of Dhaka University.
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) organised the seminar on “Proposed forest and wildlife conservation act: Future of forest, wildlife and forest inhabitants” at the National Press Club in the city.
Noted zoologists, lawyers, and botanists were among the environmentalists attending programme.
Dr Khan said the government should immediately consult teachers, students, environmentalists, lawyers, journalists, and concerned specialists before enactment of the Bangladesh Wildlife Act-2010 if the law is required to modernise.
He noted the proposed act has given responsibility to the forest department to conserve wildlife or biodiversity although it has failed to protect single species of wildlife over 200 years.
Dr Khan suggested the government create a separate directorate or department of wildlife and biodiversity for sustainable management to conserve all the wildlife and the biodiversity.
Presiding over the seminar, Poba Chairman Abu Naser Khan said the forests, once available in various parts of the country have been disappearing due to manmade causes. “It's really a matter of doubt that the country has 9 percent of forests.”
He emphasised protection of forests and wildlife through concerted efforts of all. “Wildlife goes extinct with destruction of forests,” he said.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, lawyer and executive director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA); Advocate Subrata
Chowdhury; and environmentalist Dr Anisuzaman Khan also addressed the seminar.
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