Now 114 tigers in Sundarbans: Minister

According to a survey of 2018, currently there are 114 tigers in the Sundarbans.

Environment, forest and climate change minister Shahab Uddin disclosed this in reply to ruling party MP Didarul Alam’s question in parliament on Monday.

The question was raised at the beginning of the session, presided over by jatiya sangsad speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

Using camera trapping method, 106 tigers were found in the Sundarbans in 2015.

Besides, there are 100 to 150 thousand deer, 165 to 200 crocodiles and 40 to 50 thousand monkeys in the Sundarbans.

In response to lawmaker Benjir Ahmed’s question, the forest minister said at present 14.10 per cent of our total land area is forest and 22.37 per cent of our total area is covered with tree shading.

Replying to ruling party lawmaker AKM Sarwar Jahan’s question, Shahab Uddin said under social afforestation programme in between 1980-81 and 2020-21 fiscal year in all 102339.28 hectors of woodlot and block gardens have been created.

Apart from that, strip gardens have been shaped on 76752.366 kilometres of land. Moreover, 7,26,654 beneficiaries have been added to this initiative too.

In response to ruling party lawmaker Habibur Rahman’s question, liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque said the total amount of freedom fighter welfare trust’s asset is over Tk 3.91 billion (391.79 crore).

Out of that, Tk 16.1 million (1.61 crore) is immovable asset, Tk 2.34 billion (FDR) is investment and Tk 1.53 billion (153.43 crore) is floating asset. In 2020-21 fiscal year the welfare trust earned Tk 520.19 million (52.19 crore) while their expenditure was Tk 270.84 million (27.84 crore). Their net profit was Tk 240.35 million (24.35 crore).

Replying to ruling party lawmaker Mamunur Rashid Kiron’s question, land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said, from 2008-09 to 2020-21 fiscal year Tk 69.63 billion (6,963 crore 12 lakh 92 thousand 823) has been collected from various government, semi-government and non-government organisations as land development tax.

In response to a question asked by ruling party lawmaker Haji Mohammad Salim, law minister Anisul Huq, also in-charge of defence ministry, said in last 2020-21 fiscal year Sena Kalyan Sangstha made a net profit of Tk 930 million (93 crore).

In that period they made total profit of more than Tk 3.72 billion (372.74 crore) while their expenditure was Tk 2.57 billion (257.89 crore). In that period they paid tax of Tk 209.9 million (20.99 crore).