Environment ministry renamed

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

The government has renamed the Ministry of Environment and Forest as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Cabinet on Monday approved a proposal for changing the name of the ministry incorporating the words 'Climate Change'.

The approval came at the cabinet's weekly meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.

"The climate change is now a global concern and all are witnessing its adverse impacts. Against this backdrop, the government decided to change the name of the Ministry of Environment and Forest in line with other countries of the world," he said.

Besides, Bangladesh formed a Climate Fund with its own fund, Shafiul Alam said adding that the country successfully tackled many disasters using this fund.

It will also make easier to get climate-related funds from many international organisations for the purpose, he added.

The cabinet meeting also approved a proposal of the Ministry of Environment and Forest for cutting down 1,701 trees at a reserve forest in Moheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar district on some specific conditions.

The Cabinet Secretary said the trees of various species would be logged from 191.25 acres of land there taken by Eastern Refinery as lease to implement installation of Single Point Mooring of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

The BPC will have to deposit Tk 2,400 every year as revenue for each acre of land through signing fixed demand agreement and pay about Tk 13.7 million as compensation for the loss of forest resources.

Besides, the BPC will have to plant tree sapling five times the number of the trees to be chopped in next five years.

Shafiul Alam said the Installation of Single Point Mooring is nearing completion to refine imported crude oil.

Replying to a question on installation of such establishment at a reserve forest, the cabinet secretary said a decision was taken considering the issues of transportation and location as crude oil are imported by ships.

Besides, the Cabinet approved another proposal to cut down 1,546 trees planted under Social Afforestation Programme on 2.34 acres of land at Kapasia in Gazipur to construct a mini stadium.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet greeted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT affairs adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy for the successful launching of Bangladesh's first-ever communications satellite Bangabandhu-1 into orbit.

Manufactured by the Thales Alenia Space of France, the Block-5 of Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX carrying the 3.7-metric tonne Bangabandhu-I communications satellite began its journey form the Cape Canaveral launching pad in Florida of the USA at 2:14 am on Saturday (BST).

The satellite will be installed into its orbital slot at 119.1 degree east.

The Cabinet also adopted two separate condolence motions expressing deep shock at the death of the Independence and Ekushey Padak recipient litterateur, Language Movement hero and National Professor Mustafa Nur-Ul Islam and former minister and Jatiya Party MP AKM Mayeedul Islam.

Professor Mostafa Nur-Ul Islam breathed his last on Wednesday due to old-age complications in Dhaka at the age of 91, while Mayeedul Islam, a Jatiya Party lawmaker from Kurigram-3 constituency, died on Thursday last at the age of 78.