As Bangladesh initiates its second national forest inventory (NFI), alarming trends reveal a rapid decline in forest lands, outpacing restoration efforts. Launched by the government on Sunday, this exercise follows a seven-year gap since the inaugural NFI in December 2016.
Official data unveiled in the current parliamentary session exposes a concerning reality – the government has restored only 27,000 hectares of encroached forest lands, while a staggering 257,000 hectares have fallen prey to illegal occupants in recent years.
Financed by the World Bank with a Tk25 crore investment, the 2nd NFI discloses that Bangladesh’s total forest area has dwindled to 18,834 square kilometers in 2021 from over 19,000 sq km in 2006. Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury stressed the urgency, citing the country’s current forest coverage of 15.58%, falling significantly below the ideal 25% required for ecological balance.
Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Chowdhury highlighted the NFI’s role in establishing Bangladesh’s National Forest Monitoring System, emphasizing its significance as a vital data source for forest biomass, carbon inventory, non-timber forest products, soil analysis, and cultural aspects.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding natural resources, asserting that the NFI is the initial step toward creating a robust and digitized resource database. This database, he believes, will aid in realizing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, meeting international declarations, and improving resource management.
Under the 2nd NFI, the Bangladesh Forest Department, with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will visit 1,858 sample plots in forests and survey around 6,400 households. The project aims to enhance the National Forest Management System and elevate precision in forest monitoring.
Dr. Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, highlighted the international significance of the National Forest Inventory, stating it will contribute to global reporting and fortify the country’s resource monitoring system. Supported by the World Bank under the Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods (SUFAL) Project, Bangladesh’s commitment to preserving natural resources is echoed in the efforts to address the pressing issue of forest land erosion through comprehensive data collection and analysis.
