Dhaka: The government has announced a ban on the establishment of any new industrial ventures or projects within the 10-kilometre Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) surrounding the Sundarbans. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is set to issue an official gazette notification to formalize this decision.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the decision was made during the 16th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Environment and Climate Change Committee. The meeting took place at the ministry’s conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, chaired by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. During the meeting, previous decisions from the 2017 National Environment Committee and the 2021 Executive Committee were revised to enhance the environmental protection of the Sundarbans.
An assessment will be conducted by an independent team of experts to evaluate the environmental impact of existing industries within the 10 km ECA. Further actions regarding these establishments will be contingent upon this assessment and court directives. Additionally, the committee resolved to amend the Climate Change Trust Rules to allow joint project proposals by government agencies, private organizations, and NGOs.
The committee also plans to address noise pollution by gathering opinions from all ministries to develop a future action plan and proposing an increase in the enforcement budget of the Ministry of Environment. Proposals to introduce and increase risk allowances for Forest Department employees will also be submitted, according to a ministry press release.
Furthermore, the committee decided to mandate at least 30% block usage in all public and private building construction by 2025. A coordination meeting at the secretary level is scheduled for May to discuss this matter.
The meeting was attended by notable figures including Faruk E Azam, Adviser to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and Ministry of Liberation War Affairs; and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Home Affairs. Senior officials from various ministries, including Md. Ehsanul Haque, Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Farzana Mamataj, Mahbubur Rahman, Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, and Md. Nazrul Islam, were also present as committee members.
Dr. Fahmida Khanom, Additional Secretary (Environment) of the ministry and member secretary of the committee, presented the decisions from the previous meeting and the current meeting’s agenda via a PowerPoint presentation.