The Forest Department has taken a new initiative to strengthen wildlife education, research and conservation in the country. For the first time, wildlife research grants will be given to young researchers, university students, teachers and the department's own researchers. A total of Tk 50 lakh will be distributed this year. The programme was taken up by the interim government's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

To mark it, a day-long workshop was held on Monday (15 December) at the Forest Department in Agargaon in the capital. A total of 46 research proposals were submitted from across the country, of which 22 were initially shortlisted. Students and researchers presented the shortlisted proposals on the day.

The workshop heard that wildlife research in Bangladesh has long lacked adequate funding. This first initiative of its kind drew wide interest and enthusiasm among students and researchers. Financial support will be given on the basis of the quality of the proposal, the national and international importance of the research and the researcher's experience, it was said.

Those taking part included Chief Conservator of Forests Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests Md Zahidul Kabir, Conservator of Forests Md Sanaullah Patwary of the Wildlife and Nature Conservation unit, wildlife researcher and expert Dr Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, and wildlife teachers from various universities.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.