Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government has a plan to set up a Sea Aquarium in Cox's Bazar as part of its various steps for protecting the country's forests, environment and maintaining biodiversity.
She also urged all concerned, especially the city elite living in Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas to give special attention to Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara lakes as the size, width and depth of the lakes have shrunk sharply over the years due to the construction of residential buildings filling up the lakes.
"I urge all concerned, especially the city elite, to give special attention to this regard," Hasina while addressing a function marking the inauguration of the World Environment Day and Environment Fair 2015 and National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair 2015 held at the auditorium of Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh.
She said her government has also a plan to excavate two canals near the Kuril flyover in the city to deal with any possible flood.
Mentioning that the forest areas have been increased to 17 percent from 9 percent after the Awami League government assumed office in 2009, Sheikh Hasina said her government is working to further raise the forest coverage to 25 percent.
Chaired by Minister for Environment and Forests Anwar Hossain Monju, the function was addressed, among others, by Deputy Minister Abdullah Al Islam Jacob, acting secretary of the ministry Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed, chief conservator of Forest Yunus Ali, director general of the Department of Environment Raisul Alam Mondol.
Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed National Environment Medal 2015 to two individuals for their outstanding contribution to environment protection and pollution control. They are noted lawyer Manjil Morshed and founder of Pakriti O Jibon Foundation Abdul Mukit Majumder.
The Prime Minister also distributed the Bangabandhu Award for Wildlife Conservation -2105 and PM's National Award -2014 for plantation among individuals, educational institutions, local government bodies, government departments and NGOs in various categories.
Prof M Monirul Hasan of Jahangirnagar University, Mohidur Rahman, director of a Nogaon-based private organisation- 'Nishan', M Abdul Hamid, an individual of Putia, Rajshahi and and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) received Bangabandhu Award for Wildlife Conservation this year for creating awareness on forest and wildlife conservation. ?UNB