Environmentalists call to stop its use for commercial tourism<\/p>\n
Expressing deep concern over gradual destruction of the bio-diversity
\nof Saint Martin’s Island, environmentalists yesterday demanded that
\nthe government take effective steps to make it a ‘marine protected
\narea’ based on scientific researches and stop its use for commercial
\ntourism.<\/p>\n
They recalled that the island, one of the finest coral islands of the
\nworld, was already declared an ‘ecologically critical area’ and
\nprojects were undertaken to protect its marine resources. But
\nimplementation of the projects was impeded as the officials concerned
\nlacked knowledge and skills required for this and in absence of proper
\nmonitoring by the government, they said.<\/p>\n
The environmentalists spoke at a seminar in the city on “Saint
\nMartin’s Island is on the verge of destruction: what is the way to
\nsave it?” organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa).<\/p>\n
The government should consider if the entire island could be brought
\nunder conservation schemes, speakers said.<\/p>\n
People from other areas are buying land and constructing buildings in
\nthe island threatening its bio-diversity, they pointed out at the
\nseminar held at Women’s Voluntary Association auditorium at Dhanmondi.<\/p>\n
“We destroy our natural resources like hills, forests and rivers in
\nvarious ways without realising the consequences of destruction of
\nbio-diversity. We must be careful that we do not destroy Saint
\nMartin’s Island in the name of eco-tourism,” said Bapa President Prof
\nMuzaffer Ahmed.<\/p>\n
Legal and administrative steps should be taken to save the island, and
\npublic awareness has to be created in this regard, he said.
\n“Commercial use of the island should be stopped.”<\/p>\n
Dr Khandkar Rashedul Haque, director general of the Department of
\nEnvironment, said eco-tourism is possible in the island but it must be
\nregulated keeping the nature unharmed by travellers.<\/p>\n
“Political will is the main factor in this regard,” he said.
\nInfluential people using their links with political high-ups buy land
\nand do things arbitrarily in the island.<\/p>\n
Difference of opinions among various ministries and departments on
\nenvironmental issues is a hurdle for the appropriate authorities in
\ntaking proper steps concerning projects on environment and
\nbio-diversity.<\/p>\n
Former marine official and researcher Saiful Alam Paikar said most of
\nthe recommendations of the National Conservation Strategy
\nImplementation Project–Phase -1 taken up by the Ministry of Forest
\nand Environment in 1992 were not implemented.<\/p>\n
A Tk 15-crore project on conservation of bio-diversity ended on June
\n30 this year without setting up a marine park and a sanctuary, badly
\nneeded for marine resources.<\/p>\n
There is still lack of long-term planning and steps for alternative
\nlivelihood of the local people, he said, adding that commercial and
\nunplanned tourism has put the island in a risky situation.<\/p>\n
Syeda Rizwana Hassan of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers’ Association
\nsaid there is a realisation that Saint Martin’s Island should be
\nconserved but effective steps for this are yet to be taken.<\/p>\n
Tourism should be regulated there, she said.<\/p>\n
Speakers included Dhaka University teachers AQM Mahbub, Kazi Zaker
\nHossain and Nurul Islam Nazem, Bapa Vice President Qazi Modina,
\nGeneral Secretary Dr Abdul Matin, former marine official Khorshed
\nAlam, and Abdus Salam, who hails from the island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Environmentalists call to stop its use for commercial tourism Expressing deep concern over gradual destruction of the bio-diversity of Saint Martin’s Island, environmentalists yesterday demanded that the government take effective steps to make it a ‘marine protected area’ based on scientific researches and stop its use for commercial tourism. They recalled that the island, one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[50,10,11],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbrace.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}