The coast must be kept for afforestation; for agriculture, one must think differently: Environment Advisor

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that the coast must be preserved for afforestation. She suggested that agriculture must be considered in a different way. A Coastal Zone Regulation needs to be established, and a separate management system must be created, requiring far-sighted decisions.

She made these remarks while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the National Coastal Conference 2025 at the Military Museum in Dhaka on Saturday (December 13).

She stated, "Projects for making 10 rivers free from encroachment and pollution have been submitted. Five have been approved, three are awaiting approval, and the remaining two have been revised. This process usually takes no less than two years, but it is being made possible through the government's goodwill."

Adviser Rizwana said, "A large part of Bangladesh is coastal. No matter how much money we receive, sea-level rise cannot be prevented, which is why an institutional framework is necessary. We have no rules regarding Coastal Management."

She mentioned, "There is no water in Khulna city, and water is being extracted through deep tube wells. But this is not the solution. A proposal for a Rainwater Harvesting Scheme has been submitted to the Planning Ministry. We are also working with foreign aid."

Citing the cancellation of the dredging plan in Sonadia, she said, "It is costing crores of Taka to demolish the amount of shrimp enclosures that existed there. If we can save Sonadia, we can protect the coastal inhabitants."

Regarding Saint Martin's Island, she said that development organizations COAST and BRAC are working for the tourism-dependent affected individuals after preparing an initial list, and the Ministry of Agriculture will provide cold storage facilities.

Rizwana Hasan also stated, "Farmers in Jessore and Khulna who take water by installing pipes in the embankments of shrimp enclosures are being identified. A list has been prepared, and 30% of the work has been completed so far. The work of removing these pipes is underway. Extensive work has been done in Satkhira." She added, "Short-term and mid-term plans must be formulated; long-term plans should not even be considered."