The government has taken an initiative to transfer 9,467 acres of land in Sonadia of Maheshkhali upazila in Cox's Bazar, to the Forest Department to protect the environment and biodiversity of the area.
The process of transferring the land, previously allocated to the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) for the establishment of an eco-tourism park, to the Forest Department has begun, said a press release here today.
Director (Investment Development and Monitoring-1) of BEZA Shahin Akter Sumi requested the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar to take necessary steps in this regard. This initiative has been undertaken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, the press release added.
Illegal activities such as tree cutting and shrimp farming on the allocated land have caused severe damage to the island's environment and biodiversity. In light of this situation, the decision has been made to transfer the allocated land to the Forest Department. Various measures will be taken to restore the environment of the 9,467-acre forest area.
Additionally, the 9,467-acre forest area will be declared as a protected area to ensure biodiversity conservation, halt illegal activities, and bring positive changes in tackling natural disasters.
