RAJSHAHI, Aug 27, 2017 (BSS)-A massive tree plantation can help reduce carbon emission to a substantial level and that is very important to face the adverse impact of climate change in the vast Barind tract.
There is no alternative to create more forest area which needs an adequate financial support from both national and international donor agencies.
The observations came at the closing session of a 10-day tree fair at Green Plaza of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) here Saturday evening. Rajshahi City Nursery Owners Association and RCC authorities jointly organized the fair.
RCC Mayor Musaddique Hossain Bulbul addressed the session as chief guest with its Ward Councilor Belal Ahmed in the chair.
Prof Dr Sabrina Naz from Department of Botany and Associate Prof Dr Masud Parvej from Department of Geography and Environmental Science of Rajshahi University were the panel discussants of the session.
RCC Chief Engineer Ashraful Haque and president of Nursery Owners
Association Saheduzzaman Sarker also spoke.
Prof Sabrina Naz said an optimum afforestation could help stop degradation of environment and biodiversity making the country a safe habitat for all.
Expanding the country’s forest area to 25 percent of the total landscape will protect Bangladesh from the possible alarming consequences of the ongoing climate change, she added.
Stressing the need for formulating a time-befitting policy, Mayor
Musaddique Bulbul pointed out that the present impacts of climate change have adversely affected the region’s agriculture, irrigation, navigation, ecology, bio-diversity, weather, environment and underground water levels.
The deteriorating rate of climate change cannot be reduced overnight and positive results of the proposed global efforts might start improving the situation very slowly in course of time.
He, however, said emphasis should be given to agriculture, food and social safety net, infrastructural development and disaster management and disaster risk reduction in the vast Barind tract.
In his deliberation, Dr Masud Parvej stressed conducting more research to innovate newer technologies and ways for adaptation and expanded cultivation of stress tolerant and high yielding crops thorough popularising those among the farmers.