Save tigers, save nature
Assuring her government will do everything necessary for conservation of the tigers, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the tiger range countries to continue their sincere efforts for protecting tigers.
“Let us join hands to save the tigers and save the nature,” she said.
The prime minister gave the assurance and made the appeal while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 2nd Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference 2014 held at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests has organised the three-day conference in cooperation with Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and the development partners, including the World Bank, aimed at saving the big cat from extinction.
The main objective of the conference is to review the implementation plan under the Global Tiger Recovery Programme for the tiger inhabiting countries. The conference will adopt a 'Dhaka Recommendation' for the conservation of tigers across the globe.
Sheikh Hasina, who received a token of appreciation from the organisers for her role in protecting tigers, urged the global community to protect the Sundarbans as it protects the southern coastal region of Bangladesh from storms and cyclones.
Stressing that the Sundarbans needs to be saved for its colossal storage of biodiversity, besides the precious Royal Bengal Tiger, she said it's a unique place of natural beauty and biodiversity. The Sundarbans is a natural protector of the southern coastal areas of Bangladesh from cyclone and other calamities originated in the Bay of Bengal.
“We are more than three years into the Global Tiger Recovery Program. I believe we have arrived at a turning point to reach our desired goals of protecting tigers. We have to take steps reviewing our previous activities and renewing our plans, activities and implementation strategies,” she said.
The prime minister hoped that in continuation of the previous efforts, this Conference will make a significant stride towards implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme aiming to double the number of wild tigers by the Tiger Range Countries and their partners as directed by the 'Thimphu Affirmative Nine-Point Action Agenda on Tiger Conservation'.
The 13 countries that are participating in the conference are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and North Korea.
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