USAID expresses desire to conserve forests, wildlife

The United States Agency for International Development will work with the government to conserve the forests and wildlife in the country.

Meeting the environment, forest and climate change minister Md Shahab Uddin at his office on Thursday, the USAID, Bangladesh mission director Derrick S Brown said that the agency was working to sign a memorandum of understanding with the government for helping the country in forest management, expansion of forestry and protecting wildlife smuggling.

After signing the memorandum, the USAID and the US department of agriculture and forestry were planning to cooperate collectively Bangladesh for the next five years, Brown said.

‘The US agencies would help Bangladesh develop a database on forestry and wildlife, satellite surveillance systems and improve skill of forestry department officials,’ he said. He also said that the US agencies were planning to offer a project for protecting the biodiversity of the forests located in the Sylhet region, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox’s Bazar and the Sunderbans in Khulna.

Welcoming the proposals, the environment and forest minister Shahab Uddin said that the USAID’s proposed projects would strengthen the incumbent government’s initiatives for controlling all types of pollutions, forestation and the forest management.

State minister for environment Habibunnahar, the ministry secretary Ziaul Hasan, chief forest conservator Md Shafiul Alam, department of environment director general AKM Rafiq Ahmed and the USAID officials were present at the meeting. (Source: New Age)