The government is taking all necessary steps to protect the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, a World Heritage site, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin has said.

He said the government has rehabilitated surrendered pirates to end banditry in the forest and has taken steps to curb forest crime, as well as providing alternative livelihoods for the communities living there.

He said this on Monday, January 17, while meeting representatives of development organisations at his office.

The environment minister said that those who came to power after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family blocked the rivers, canals and channels of the Sundarbans for shrimp farming, making the water saline. The present government has re-excavated these rivers and canals and restored their navigability. Alongside protecting the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, it has taken steps to protect Royal Bengal tigers.

He said an action plan has also been adopted to protect coastal communities from the harmful effects of climate change.

At the meeting, Mustafa Nuruzzaman, chief executive of the non-governmental development organisation Sushilan, said the harmful effects of climate change have fallen hardest on coastal lives and livelihoods. Agricultural production is badly disrupted, reducing farm jobs and increasing dependence on the Sundarbans, which puts the forest under further threat. Non-governmental organisations are working alongside the government to change this, he said.

Also present were Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, coordinator of the Sundarbans and Coast Protection Movement, journalist Shakila Parvin, Sushilan assistant director Shahina Parvin and Mosaddek Hossain of the organisation Sachetan.

During the meeting, the crest and souvenir of Sushilan's 30th anniversary event were handed to the minister, who had been chief guest at the closing of the virtually held event.

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