Environment state minister aims to curb river erosion in Jashore
Environment, Forest and Climate Change State Minister Shaikh Faridul Islam, has expressed satisfaction with social forestry initiatives along both banks of the Chitra River in Bagharpara upazila of Jashore, aimed at preventing riverbank erosion and mitigating climate-related disasters in the southwestern region.
The state minister visited the strip gardens and palm groves along the river on Tuesday, to inspect the afforestation activities implemented by the Jashore Social Forestry Division along the Water Development Board embankment.
The plantations were established under the project titled “Mitigating Climate Change-Induced Coastal Disasters in Southwestern Bangladesh through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS-SW),” funded by the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF).
During the visit, the minister inspected a 25-sapling-kilometre green belt comprising 20 sapling-kilometres of strip gardens and five sapling-kilometres of palm groves along both banks of the river.
The plantations are intended to prevent riverbank erosion, provide natural protection against lightning strikes and support the sustainable restoration of the local ecosystem.
To strengthen biodiversity and protect the riverine environment, the project has planted saplings of various native tree species, including kadam, arjun, jarul, rain tree, minjiri, mahogany, chikrashi, jackfruit, jhau, hog plum, khair, sissoo, uri-am, tamarind, olive, haritaki, elephant apple, pitali, amla, gulmohar, sonalu and shil koroi.
The minister expressed appreciation for the work of the Jashore Social Forestry Division after inspecting the plantations and reviewing the afforestation activities.
Speaking during the visit, Sheikh Faridul Islam said climate change was making rivers in the southwestern region increasingly vulnerable to erosion.
He said intensive strip plantations and palm groves along Water Development Board embankments would not only help protect coastal areas from cyclones and riverbank erosion but also serve as natural shields against lightning strikes, which claim lives every year.
Jashore Conservator of Forests Md Harun-or-Rashid, Divisional Forest Officer of Jashore Social Forestry Division Amita Mondal, Assistant Conservator of Forests Piyanka Haldar, Range Officer of Jashore Social Forestry and Training Centre MA Mizanur Rahman, other forest department officials and members of the local social forestry beneficiary community were present during the inspection.
After the visit, the state minister met members of the social forestry beneficiary association and discussed the conservation and maintenance of the plantations.
He also planted a bakul sapling before leaving for Magura district to inspect plantations there.
