Opinion
Create a separate wildlife department
In view of the timely statement by Prof Kazi Zaker Hussain -- one of the veteran most zoologists and wildlife biologists of the country -- and Prof. Mohammad Anwarul Islam on the afforestation policy of the Bangladesh Forest Department I emphasize that government should immediately create a separate Wildlife Department/Authority/Bureau with the same status of the existing Environment and Forest departments of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF).
The reasons are very simple. The environment department is managed by people with chemistry, physics, geology background, soil scientists, engineers, etc. but any botanists and zoologists who take care of the biodiversity of the country.
Forest Department on the other hand is seemingly a commercial wing of the MOEF for generating fund for the government exchequer through cutting existing natural forests and replacing that with planting of only commercially viable and exotic species like the Eucalyptus, Acacia, Oil Palm, Rubber, etc. So, it appears that governments own department is responsible for the destruction of natural forests. As a result there is not a single patch of Shal, moist- deciduous or semi-evergreen forests and the mangrove forest in the Sundarbans that can be considered as 100 per cent virgin. That means all forests in Bangladesh have been worked out under the Forest Department's policy of clear-felling, selection logging, etc, prescribed under the working plans from the late 1800 and early 1900.
Neither forest nor the environment department can save any wildlife. First they have little expertise. Second, their policy is contrary to the conservation of wildlife. Wildlife requires keeping and managing a natural forest in its entirety.
I therefore, urge upon the government to take the example of Sri Lank and Malaysia where Forest Department is responsible for commercial forestry for earning money when separate and independent Wildlife Department is responsible for protecting all natural forests within their jurisdictions, not planting a single foreign tree or plant and conserving the wildlife. They are generating money by attracting tourists and with forest and wildlife produce. They cannot cut trees.
Therefore the present government should immediately separate the Wildlife Division of the Forest Department and raise it to a SEPRATE department, or create a Wildlife Authority or a Wildlife Bureau. All the existing manpower of the wildlife division, all people working under the national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, World Heritage Site, Ramsar site, elephant or game reserves, etc., should be brought under this new wildlife department. Also this department must be given all the existing forests and wetlands so far declared as sanctuaries, national parks, game reserves, eco-parks, heritage sites, captive breeding centres, etc., where the environment or forest department will have no hold. It should also be given the responsibility of all projects concerning biodiversity of the country whether these are implemented in the government forested areas or anywhere in the country.
This new department's job will be to protect and manage all the land given to them and all forms of lives there upon; earn money through aggressive tourist visitation and sale of wildlife products. This department must be people and wildlife friendly. It should also be responsible for managing all the wildlife and biodiversity related international and regional treaties and conventions. It will also manage all the privately declared or managed bird sanctuaries, snake, crocodile, turtle, frog, monkey, deer farms, etc. existing in the country.
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