Harmful exotic tree planting still going on
To keep on track the gravy train of 'commissions' from big projects funded by international money-lending agencies, government departments including the Department of Forest (DoF) continue to plant exotic species like eucalyptus and acacia, destroying natural forests in blatant defiance of a prime ministerial directive, observed a views-exchange meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting, participated by the managers of a national action plan dealing with biodiversity and journalists, however pinpointed pervasive corruption in the DoF as the main reason behind the fast-depletion of the country's biodiversity. The meeting was told that there is a clear-cut direction from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia not to plant 'banned species', but the plantation of such species is going on in full swing in the name of social forestation.
The meeting, participated by the managers of a national action plan dealing with biodiversity and journalists, however pinpointed pervasive corruption in the DoF as the main reason behind the fast-depletion of the country's biodiversity. The meeting was told that there is a clear-cut direction from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia not to plant 'banned species', but the plantation of such species is going on in full swing in the name of social forestation.
As part of the formulation of the National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAP), the project managers arranged the meeting to get input from journalists working on environment and biodiversity issues before finalisation of the strategic action plan. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Bangladesh is conducting the project with funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and in collaboration with UNDP. In recognition of depletion of the country's biodiversity and to fulfil the commitment of the Convention on the Biological Diversity (CBD), the Ministry of Environment and Forests initiated the formulation process. As a signatory of the CBD, Bangladesh has obligations to take steps for the protection of biodiversity.
Expressing concerns, the participants came down heavily on the government's failure in taking up adequate and wise steps for the protection of the biodiversity and for checking corruption in its various departments including the LGED (Local Government and Engineering Division) and the RHD (Roads and Highways Department). The meeting was told that these departments are planting the environmentally unfriendly trees thanks to prescriptions of the money-lending agencies like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. (New Age, December 24, 2003).
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