Call for active engagement to conserve forests

Active participation of co-management committees (CMCs) for forest conservation is very important to ensure the sustainable use of forest resources, speakers said at a discussion of the Arannayk Foundation marking the forest co-management day on Thursday. 

Achieving reliable financing for the CMCs will be easier if half of the revenue earned from tourism can be shared with all CMCs according to the Protected Area Rules 2017, they said at the discussion at Arannayk's head office in Dhaka and local office in Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar.   

The Bangladesh Forest Department observes 23 March as the forest co-management day commemorating Rafiqul Islam, a member of the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary Community Patrolling Group (CPG), who was killed by illegal timber lifters on 23 March 2008. 

Currently, 28 co-management committees (CMCs) for forest conservation are active in 22 protected areas in the country. 

Speaking as the chief guest at the discussion, Md Imran Ahmed, conservator of the Wildlife & Nature Conservation Circle of the Bangladesh Forest Department, said that the local communities along with the government must work to safeguard forests. 

"Biodiversity is often affected by the livelihood activities of forest-dependent people", he said, adding, "The Community Patrol Group (CPG) will have to act more actively to ensure the co-existence of humans and wildlife". 

Speaking as the special guest, Md Sarwar Alam, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Cox's Bazar South Forest Division, urged the regional network of co-management committees (CMCc) to organise a national-level conference, pledging maximum support from the Forest Department.

As the chair, Masud Alam Khan, Arannayk Foundation's head of programmes, commemorated the contributions of the CPG members in protecting forests and mentioned the names of those who sacrificed their lives. 

"The co-management committees (CMCs) have to be more active," he said.

Mohd Abdul Quddus, senior advisor of the Arannayk Foundation, called for allocating government funds and private sector CSR (corporate social responsibility) finances for the CMCs to attain stable financial capacities. 

"A permanent allowance structure and rewarding the best CPG members will also motivate local people to work for protecting forests," he said.  

AHM Kamal, programme coordinator at the CMO Network of Arannayk Protibesh Project, emphasised the importance of CMOs' regional and national networks. 

Modinul Ahsan and Mazharul Islam from USAID Ecosystems/Protibesh Activity, Sital Kumar Nath from the Community Development Centre (CODEC) and Safiqur Rahman from Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), among others, were present at the meeting. 

Presidents and secretaries from the newly-formed Regional CMO Network in Khulna and Sylhet regions, CMC leaders from Ratargul, Satchhari, Koyra, Himchhari, Medakachapia and Inani Sheikh Jamal National Park and president and treasurers of Whykong, Fasiakhali, Chandpai, Munshiganj and Dacope-Koyra CMCs took part in the meeting virtually. 

They also urged the government to observe 23 March as the forest co-management day at national-level as an acknowledgement of the contribution of CMCs to forest and nature conservation.