Bangabandhu Corridor will construct at Chattogram Hill tracts for wildlife conservation
Jaglul Hossain, Chief Conservator of Forest, Bangladesh Forest Department Deputy, said, “A ‘Bangabandhu Interstate Corridor’ will be set up to protect wildlife in the border areas of Myanmar and India with Chattogram Chattogram Hill Tracts, and Cox’s Bazar.
He spoke as the chief guest at a day-long workshop on wildlife conservation held at the auditorium of Rangamati Tourist Motel Complex jointly organized by the Bangladesh Forest Department and the International Union for Conservation of Nature – IUCN.
The Deputy Chief Forest Conservator said, “The main objective of this workshop is to connect the fragmented forests. For this, we will software that can identify the corridor area for wildlife.”
“However, people are building settlements by occupying the way of wildlife movement. There is a conflict between wildlife, especially elephants and humans because animals behave cruelty when humans make obstacles in their way,” he continued.
Dr. Jaglul Hossain further said, “After the independence of the country, Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enacted the first Wildlife Conservation Act to protect the existence of the country and its territory. Because when there is no eco-balance between humans and animals on earth, nature causes adverse reactions.”
“There is a plan to construct a border road from Bandarban to Thegamukh land port. However, there may set up a wildlife corridor on the roads. It will consult with the stakeholders before the road’s construction.
At the same time, he opined, “There need for a bypass road to protect the wildlife corridors, if necessary. Then vehicles will move on the road. On the other hand, wildlife will travel secretly over the route to their destination.”
Mollah Rezaul Karim, Forest Conservator (Wildlife and Nature Conservation Circle) and Project Director, Trans Boundary Wildlife Corridor, Rakibul Amin of IUCN Country Representative, Ajit Kumar Rudra, Forest officer, Rangamati South Forest Department, ANUD, Forest officer, Rangamati North Forest Department, ANM Abed, an NGO’s media personnel, and senior officials of respective offices took part in the workshop.
