Tree covered area in Bangladesh has decreased by 13 percent
The most talked-about issue in the month-long blaze is trees. People say the environment is getting hotter due to frequent deforestation. The people of the country have started to enjoy the results of cutting trees and deforestation for a long time.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Bangladesh, said, “To maintain the environment of a country, at least 25 percent of forest land is required, but 15.58 percent of the total area of Bangladesh has forest land.”
“Global Forest Watch data shows that the tree cover in Bangladesh has decreased by approximately 607,620 acres from 2001 to 2023,” the minister informed.
“During this period, the amount of tree covered area decreased by 13 percent compared to the previous period. Among them, the biggest decrease was in 2017, about 70 thousand acres,” he added.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury continued and said, “In 2010, Bangladesh had approximately 4.9596 thousand acres (20 million 22 thousand hectares) of natural forest land, accounting for 16 percent of the total land.”
“Every year that forest area is decreasing. Only in 2023, the forest area has decreased by about 44 thousand acres. If the vegetation in this large area had not been destroyed, around 75 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions could have been avoided,” the minister further added.
According to Forest Watch research data, the tree cover area has decreased the most in Chattagram from 2001 to 2023; 570570 acres, which is 94 percent of the total reduced tree cover area;
Then there is Sylhet respectively, there has decreased 20 thousand 674 acres, 13 thousand 980 acres, Rangpur has decreased 1190 acres, Rajshahi 798 acres, Khulna 501 acres, Barisal has decreased about 245 acres.
In the last 20 years, Chattagram region has lost 76 percent of its tree covered area in Bandarban and Rangamati. During this period, the area covered by trees has been deforested the most in Bandarban – 29792 acres.
Besides, about 135610 acres in Rangamati, 60541 acres in Khagrachari, 23104 acres in Chattagram and 22783 acres in Cox’s Bazar were destroyed.
Bangladesh ranks third among the countries where the area covered by trees has decreased during this period. Suriname, a South American country, has lost 622,440 acres of tree cover. Malawi, an African country, has lost 61,090 acres of tree cover.
Forest Watch has warned that 22,445 trees may be killed in Bangladesh in April this year. In these areas, about 629 acres of tree-covered area may be deforested, the organization fears.
In 7 days from 10th to 17th of April, 2024, only 4595 places have been alerted. It has also been mentioned that 130 acres of forest may be deforested as a result.
Global Forest Watch, with the help of the University of Maryland, analyzed artificial satellite images and issued the warning.
Chattagram is the biggest of the places in Bangladesh where warnings have been issued about tree destruction. 72 percent (456 acres) of the land threatened with extinction is in Chattagram.
Among the remaining areas, Dhaka ranks second. 121 acres in Dhaka, 37 acres in Sylhet, about 5 acres each in Rangpur and Khulna, 2.50 acres in Rajshahi and about 2 acres in Barisal are feared to be deforested.
