Five-yr campaign launched to save Sundarbans
The Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) yesterday launched a five-year long mass awareness campaign through different programs from Khulna University campus on how to protect the Sundarbans.
The programme under the Sundarbans Tiger Project has been launched for 26 unions of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Barguna districts -- adjacent to the Sundarbans -- for a period of four years.
In the fifth year, the campaign would cover all the unions of eight upazilas in these five districts.
Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Arefin Siddique inaugurated the campaign as chief guest. Presided over by WTB Chief Executive Dr Md Anowarul Islam, the inaugural function was also attended by Asia Program Head of Zoological Society of London Adam Burlo, Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University Prof Dr Md Saifuddin Shah and Chief Conservator of Forests Md Yunus Ali.
The daylong event included a colourful procession, painting competition, discussion and a cultural function with participation of famous local and national artistes.
Prof Arefin in his speech called upon the people of all strata to work in a concerted manner to protect and preserve resources of the world's largest mangrove forest.
He said it is moral responsibility of the people to protect the Sundarbans and its biodiversity at any cost. “Because, it is not only the source of earning of livelihood of thousands of coastal people but it also protects them from onslaught of natural disasters.”
Earlier in the morning, a procession was brought out from Khulna city's Shaheed Hadis Park that ended on the campus.
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