Bangladesh

The World Bank (WB) has expressed deep concern as deforestation is alarmingly increasing in the country.

As a region, the Chitta-gong Hill Tracts constitutes almost one-tenth of the territory of the country. Both demographic and environmental conditions of the area are different from other regions because of its geographic and cultural peculiarities.

Instead of protecting wildlife, the proposed wildlife preservation act focuses more on giving more power and dominion to an incompetent forest department widely criticised for its commercial forestry practices, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.

In Bangladesh, the massive growth rate of population has intensified pressure on forest resources throughout the country. The forest coverage of Bangladesh is one of the lowest and the deforestation rate  is the highest of any country in the world.