Adviser Rizwana leads transformative year in environmental and wildlife protection
The Wildlife Crime Control Unit has conducted 293 operations, rescuing 5,684 animals, with the first-ever imprisonment sentences for wildlife and tree-felling offences in the country’s history.
Over the past year, under the leadership of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh has seen a significant shift in forest conservation, wildlife protection, and environmental governance, according to a press release from the environment ministry.
Between August 2024 and June 2025, a total of 5,093 acres of forest land have been reclaimed and reforested, including 700 acres in Cox's Bazar, 9,467 acres in Sonadia, and several other sites previously allocated to government or institutional projects.
In a move to restore native ecosystems, the Chunati Forest Restoration Project began replacing invasive Akashmoni trees with indigenous species across 37,182 acres. Similar efforts are ongoing in Modhupur and Sherpur, aiming to revive elephant corridors and natural forest habitats.
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Initiatives have been taken to reintroduce the locally extinct peafowl and protect other species such as hoolock gibbons, sambars, capped langurs, and elephants.
To mitigate human-wildlife conflict, 159 Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) have been formed nationwide. The government has also scrapped the proposed Latitila Safari Park in Moulvibazar in favour of establishing a sanctuary for captive elephants.
Wetlands including Bil Joana and Bil Velas in Rajshahi have been designated as sanctuaries, while legal amendments to the Wildlife Act and a proposal for a Wildlife Trust are underway, said the release.
It added that the Wildlife Crime Control Unit has conducted 293 operations, rescuing 5,684 animals, with the first-ever imprisonment sentences for wildlife and tree-felling offences in the country's history.
Public concerns over harmful trees have prompted a ban on the production, sale, and planting of eucalyptus and acacia. Tree-friendly awareness campaigns, including one to remove nails from trees, have been launched.
Plastic use and picnicking have been banned in national parks and eco-sensitive areas, and 144 acres in Purbachal have been declared a Special Biodiversity Area, it said, adding that plans for the nation's first Nature Learning Centre are also in progress.
In the area of environmental protection, illegal polythene use has been targeted in Dhaka's shopping malls and markets.
The press release further said that a joint initiative with the Ministry of Textiles and Jute is promoting eco-friendly jute bags. To combat air pollution, a National Air Quality Management Plan has been introduced, 830 illegal brick kilns and 18 lead factories shut down, and the Savar-Ashulia area declared a degraded air shed.
Campaigns against unfit vehicles have also been strengthened with BRTA collaboration.
Efforts to address noise and water pollution continue, with youth-led campaigns and crackdowns on polluting industries. In Gazipur, connections of nine polluting companies have been severed, and illegal polythene factories dismantled.
Under the BEST project, 37 buildings for the Department of Environment are under construction.
Digitisation of land records from 16 hill districts is ongoing. A total of 41 projects worth Tk351 crore have been approved from the Climate Change Trust Fund, and the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership has been finalised, it said.
