Saber asks forest department to recover encroached land

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury informed Parliament on Tuesday that around 257,000 acres of forest land have been illegally occupied throughout the country over the years.

The Minister revealed a complete list of identified forest land grabbers, already made public. "Weve recovered 27,000 acres of forest land, and efforts are ongoing to reclaim the remaining occupied land," he declared.

Saber Hossain attributed the land grabbing to influential individuals exploiting development projects like road construction, electricity lines, and railways.
He emphasized, "If acquiring forest land becomes necessary for a development project, clear justifications must be provided, and authorities in the Planning Commission and Ecnec should scrutinize such projects rigorously."

His information came in response to supplementary questions from opposition chief whip Mujibul Haque and ruling party MP SM Ataul Haque.

Responding to Ataul Haques specific inquiry about protecting the Sundarbans and coastal areas from rising salinity due to climate change, the Minister acknowledged the severity of the issue.

He announced a second joint meeting between Bangladesh and India in Dhaka within the next few weeks to discuss joint management strategies for the Sundarbans, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both nations.

While acknowledging that the overall forest situation remains concerning, he shared positive news regarding the Sundarbans: "Thankfully, the Sundarbans haven been significantly affected yet."