The leaders of Bangladesh Environment Movement (Bapa) have said that if it is not done, the condition of the country will continue to deteriorate.
They demanded accountability of the relevant ministries, departments and authorities in forest and forest land protection as well as punishment against law breakers.
On Tuesday (April 30) in Dhaka, the intensity of heat in the city: who is responsible? What to do?' The leaders of Bapa made the above mentioned demands in the press conference.
Iqbal Habib, vice-president of the organization, said that the current situation is the responsibility of us, the government, government machinery and personal greed. The junction of the river with various canals of Dhaka has been filled up. It is important to have connectivity with rivers and canals.
Shahidul Islam, Prof. Mihir Lal Shaha, Prof. Abdus Salam also spoke at the press conference under the chairmanship of BAPA President Noor Mohammad Talukdar.
Architect Iqbal Habib presented the keynote. He said that it is essential to have 25 percent of the total forest area of the country to protect the balance of the environment. According to a report by the Forest Department of Bangladesh, the amount of forest covered area in the country is 12.8 percent of the total land area. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), deforestation in Bangladesh is at an annual rate of 2.6 percent, which is almost double the annual global average.
He said that the number of unauthorized buildings in Dhaka city is more than 94 percent.