Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on Thursday said that the government would also take a long-term programme for elephant conservation.
Under the short-term programme, initiatives will be taken to improve the natural habitat of elephants, ensure their safe breeding and food security, assess number of elephants and using modern technology to resolve human-elephant conflicts, she said.
Rizwana said that an awareness raising campaign on elephant conservation would be further strengthened. "This programme will be implemented in some districts of Chattogram, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions where elephants are found," she added.
Rizwana made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a meeting on elephant conservation project at Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday.
In the meeting, she emphasised on various initiatives taken by the government to protect elephants and maintain balance environment.
The Environment Adviser said under this special programme implemented by the Forest Department, several activities will be undertaken, including tree plantations to ensure food for elephants, excavation of reservoirs and installation of solar-powered fences in vulnerable areas.
In addition, she said, there are plans to build bio-fencing to reduce elephant-human conflict, build elephant response teams and towers for elephant monitoring. Conservation of elephants is crucial to protect biodiversity of the country, she added. —BSS
