A ray of hope for wildlife

The coastal forest department of Chattogram has proposed to establish a special biodiversity area on 6,507 acres of forest land at Sitakunda's Guliakhali area to save hundreds of species of wildlife and birds.

According to the forest department data, the 6,507-acre of mangrove forest land, one of the oldest and most enriched forests in the country, is home to 108 species of wildlife, 98 species of birds and 21 species of trees.

Md Abdul Rahman, divisional forest officer of the coastal forest department of Chattogram, said, "We have already sent a proposal to the higher authorities of the forest department in this regard, including the detailed data."

"Due to the construction of an industrial city on 23,500 acres of forest land in Mirsarai upazila, hundreds of animals have been displaced. They are currently living in this proposed forest land. The special biodiversity area has been proposed mainly to protect these animals," he added.

Bipul Krisna Das, conservator of the forest of Chattogram region, told The Daily Star that the proposal to form Guliakhali special biodiversity area has already been sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

"A committee headed by an additional secretary of the ministry has started work on the project. The committee has already organised a meeting where we presented our plans," he said.

"We hope that Guliakhali will be declared as a special biodiversity area by the Ministry of Forests soon," added Bipul.

Wildlife experts have praised the Forest Department's initiative to create a special biodiversity area at Guliakhali.

They said a special biodiversity area means a site that contributes significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. This implies that the site contains many unique species.

Farid Ahsan, a wildlife specialist and former professor of zoology at Chittagong University, said, "Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat.

Mentionable, Guliakhali Sea Beach, which is located in Sitakunda upazila, was declared a reserved area for tourism on January 10 this year.

The civil aviation and tourism ministry made an announcement in this regard, bringing 259.1 acres of the beach under its protection as khas land.