Consolidating afforestation gains

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AFFORESTATION programmes deserve a more concentrated attention than before, in view of the recent incident in Chittagong. There is much to worry about the situation in the absence of hard policies to put a hard brake on deforestation activities as well; the rate of deforestation is probably higher than that of afforestation. In this context, it is also important to consider factors that have encouraged speedier deforestation.
The non availability of a cheap and readily available fuel source has been one such reason and it has meant continued felling of trees to supply users in the brick kilns. Firewood is also used extensively across the country for cooking. The furniture industry is a large scale user of timber. Thousands of trees are being cut down every year for their wood to supply the furniture industry and for boat making. Even the country's reserved forest areas are not being spared from this plunder due to the corruption and lack of care on the part of the concerned department employees. The government's afforested areas have also come under their attacks.
The pressing need is to create conditions that would discourage the use of wood. Here coal should be considered as the only legitimate fuel source for the brick kilns and a ban applied on the use of wood in the kilns. More importantly, the ban will have to be scrupulously enforced.
Arrangements should be made for supply of coal from the Barapukuria mine at low costs to the brick kiln operators. Restrictions may be imposed to reduce the use of timber in the furniture making industry. Reduced duties on artificial materials and fittings for the furniture industry will contribute to this end. Here steps to produce plastics and plastic wood will be considered a pro-active move.
Hussain Murshed
Nakhalpara, Tejgaon,
Dhaka