Wrong trees in wrong place!
Photo: STAR
A front page report on the subject was published in local English daily on 8th June depicts the downside of plantation of exotic trees; that harms the soil. Now, belatedly, we are wise after the event! Agriculture Minister criticized plantation of such trees (like eucalyptus, acacia, ipilipil etc.). These were planted with donor money (?) in north Bangladesh by the forest department in 1990. A professor of Botany, from Dhaka University criticized planting of such trees; which take up excessive sub-soil water and nutrients; harming the growth of other trees! Another professor, of DU, also speaks against planting these trees. He says that those trees are meant for planting in highland. Where were these experts in 1990; when the tree plantation was done; I am sure with a lot of fan fair! The presentation of the report published, was also rather repetitive, and hence, it was not a good read; discouraging going through all of it! Some points were raised in a number of paragraphs, unnecessarily! It could have easily conveyed the same message in half the number of words! Possibly it had missed the editorial eagle eye!
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