Published on 09:33 PM, October 25, 2021

Ministry okays feasibility study report of safari park in Moulvibazar

A man operating a surveying instrument as part of the feasibility study and master plan preparation for the country’s third safari park at Lathitila forest in Moulvibazar’s Juri upazila. The proposed safari park has concerned environmentalists, who think that it will threaten biodiversity in the area. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Mintu Deshwara
Star Digital Report

Despite protests from environmentalists, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change today approved the feasibility study report for setting up a safari park in Lathitila forest in Moulvibazar's Juri upazila.

The feasibility study conducted by the Forest Department was approved in a meeting held at the ministry and chaired by the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin.

After the approval, the minister directed the Forest Department to complete the master plan and the preparation of the detailed project plan for the safari park to be named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

During the meeting, Minister Md Shahab Uddin said, "Many parts of the proposed area is illegally occupied and after the park is built, illegal entrance will be stopped and the biodiversity will be protected."

He also said that necessary allocations have been made for the relocation of 37 families illegally living in the Jorichora and Lalchara villages of Lathitila.

During the meeting, Secretary of the Ministry Md Mostafa Kamal, Additional Secretary (Administration) Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary (Development) Ahmed Shamim Al Razi, Additional Secretary Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary Keya Khan, Chief Conservator of Forests Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury and Feasibility Study Committee Team Leader Tapan Kumar Dey along with senior officials of the Ministry and Forest Department were present.

Lathitila is a 5,141-acre forest beat of Juri Forest Range under Patharia Hill Reserve and the safari park is planned to be constructed on 270-acre land of the forest.

The Daily Star on June 3 published a report titled 'Greens worried as new safari park planned'. After a visit to the forest on August 26, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) delegation said that around 10,000 trees will be chopped off in the forest to build infrastructure of the safari park which will eventually harm the biodiversity.

Read More: Greens worried as new safari park planned

Top Stories