Highlighting the government's initiative to expand the forest area by creating artificial mangroves, Hasina said, “We focus on not damaging the Sundarbans and its biodiversity when taking any measure for the development of Bangladesh." "The initiative aims to expand the forest area to the entire coastal belt. Also, the government adopted smart patrolling and other steps to protect the flora and fauna in the Sundarbans and curb crimes there.”The Sundarbans harbours a diverse array of vegetation and wildlife. In a bid to preserve the biodiversity of the area, forest officials are being trained using modern methods while the government is also assigning more officials to the forest. Currently, 53 percent of the Sundarbans' total area is a designated wildlife sanctuary, Hasina said.

Source: bd News24 June 16, 2021 09:22 UTC