Roads Construction through the forest will lead to massive forest destruction and pollution: Information Minister of Bangladesh
Hasan Mahmud, Information Minister of Bangladesh, has commented that the proposed road construction through the reserved forest area of Ramu, Cox’s Bazar is ‘not appropriate.
He said this in response to questions from reporters at his secretariat.
He said, “It is not appropriate. I am never in favor of it; I cannot support it. Since I was a student of environmental science, I was an environmental activist; I was the secretary of the party’s forest and environment affairs for ten years and later came to the responsibility of the environment ministry.”
“The construction of roads through protected forest areas will lead to extensive forest destruction and pollution. I also saw in the newspaper that there is no approval from the ministry. Thanks to those who brought this to the newspaper,” the minister continued.
Commenting that the road through the forest is ‘not advisable,’ he urged all concerned to look into the matter.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has initiated constructing a road through the Ramu reserved forest. According to media reports, the forest department says that if this road builds, at least 70,000 trees will have to be cut.
Environmental activists are also opposing this initiative.
