Bangladesh seeks Turkish expertise in forest restoration and eco-tourism
Referring to a recent tragic incident involving elephant deaths due to habitat loss and food scarcity, adviser Rizwana underscored the importance of targeted restoration efforts during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador Ramis Sen
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the adviser to the environment, forest and climate change, has expressed a strong interest in leveraging Turkish expertise for forest restoration, especially in areas impacted by human-wildlife conflict.
During a meeting with Ramis Sen, the ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye, held today (27 May) at her office in Pani Bhaban, Adviser Rizwana highlighted the urgent need for restoring forest ecosystems in Bangladesh, reads a press release.
Referring to a recent tragic incident involving elephant deaths due to habitat loss and food scarcity, she underscored the importance of targeted restoration efforts.
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The meeting focused on exploring areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly in environmental conservation, sustainable tourism, and development initiatives.
Rizwana stressed the need for technical support in planting suitable tree species and developing nature-centric tourism strategies.
She shared her vision for establishing eco-tourism destinations, including a master plan for the picturesque Sylhet region designed to minimise ecological disruption.
Ambassador Sen acknowledged Bangladesh's conservation priorities and emphasised the proactive role of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (Tika), which operates an office in Dhaka.
He expressed Tika's readiness to support medium-scale collaborative projects across various sectors.
Both sides discussed the potential for developing sustainable tourism in Bangladesh, drawing on Turkey's rich experience in nature-based tourism.
The ambassador assured that he would facilitate communication between Tika and the adviser's office to identify concrete project opportunities and connect her with relevant Turkish departments for further dialogue.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to fast-track meaningful collaboration in forest restoration and eco-tourism, ensuring swift and impactful implementation of joint initiatives.
Merve Ozcelik, deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye and top officials from the ministry were also present at the meeting.
