Dhaka, Broadcasting News Corporation: The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change has said that World Environment Day will be celebrated on June 5 with various arrangements. Environmental fairs and national tree plantation campaigns and tree fairs will be organized on the occasion of the day. On the same day, Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually join the event organized at Bangabandhu International Conference Center from Ganobhaban and at the same time announce the inauguration of Environment Fair from 5th June to 11th June and National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair 2022 from 5th to 4th July.
The information was given by the environment minister at a press conference held at the Press Information Department on Thursday. The secretary of the ministry Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Director General of the Department of Environment Dr. Abdul Hamid, Chief Conservator of Forests Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury were present on the occasion.
The Environment Minister said the UN Environment Program has set the theme for this year’s World Environment Day as “Only One Earth: Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”. We need to save this world, save all kinds of animals, plant more trees. The Minister said that a comprehensive program has been undertaken by the Ministry through the Department of Environment and the Department of Forests to create awareness among the people about environmental conservation and tree plantation. The inaugural program will be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other electronic media. On this occasion, special supplements from the Department of Environment and the Department of Forests will be published in the national newspaper. Besides, World Environment Day will be celebrated with due importance in all districts and upazilas of the country. The Environment Minister said that Department of Environment, with limited manpower, to monitor the factories regularly and to bring the polluting industries under the law. Meanwhile, in order to control the pollution caused by brick kilns and to protect the fertile soil of agricultural land, the government has enacted the amended brick kiln law. This law has been implemented and a notification has been issued to reduce the production and use of burnt bricks. Illegal air polluting factories and unplanned construction activities, enforcement and mobile court activities against black smoke emitting vehicles are also continuing.
In addition, according to the Eighth Five Year Plan, the Forest Department has achieved about 7,220 hectares of flat land and shale forest, 1 lakh 30,580 hectares of hilly forest, 500 hectares of agar forest, 15,000 km. Strip gardens, 50,000 hectares of mangrove gardens and other gardens will be created. So far, 411 crore 52 lakh 6 thousand taka has been distributed among 2 lakh 22 thousand 994 beneficiaries by collecting the trees which have passed the period of social forestry. Under various projects and revenue budget implemented from 2009 to FY 21, 1 lakh 63 thousand 378 hectare block including mangroves, 26 thousand 453 siddling km. 10.59 crore saplings were distributed and planted for strip garden creation and sale. It was informed at the press conference that on the occasion of the day, programs will be organized in 100 educational institutions of Dhaka metropolis on this occasion. Arrangements will be made to send text messages and add welcome tunes through all mobile phone operators. On the occasion of Environment Day, children’s drawing competition, debate competition, slogan competition have been organized. In addition, seminars on environmental issues, round table discussions, environmental awareness activities, preparation and publication of revised editions of booklets related to the Department of Environment, awareness seminars for entrepreneurs of non-ETP and polluting industries have been organized. Replying to a question at a press conference, the minister said a safari park is going to be set up at Lathitila to protect the illegally occupied forest. Replying to another question, the minister said the government is working to control all types of pollution including noise pollution and air pollution. He said that industrial waste treatment plant or ETP (effluent treatment plant) is coming under online monitoring. New rules and regulations are being formulated. He called upon the people at all levels to come forward for the protection of environment.