Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources, ordered the cancellation of the Cox’s Bazar District Administration’s 51-acre housing project, which was planned on a protected forest area along a hillside near a highway.
She also issued clear directives to the Deputy Commissioners to ensure the protection of the country’s rivers, hills, and forests.
She instructed strict legal action against those responsible for hill cutting.
These directives were delivered on Tuesday afternoon during her address at the 2025 Deputy Commissioners’ Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Moreover, she emphasized the importance of demarcating the Madhupur Sal Forest, eliminating illegal encroachments, and updating official records to protect reserved forests, rivers, and wetlands.
She also underscored the necessity of evicting the Raja Kashem Ship Breaking Yard from forest land.
She stressed the need to identify and conserve century-old, heritage, and landmark trees.
She directed that at least one river in each district should be freed from encroachment and pollution.
Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of developing and enforcing specific guidelines to regulate tourism in coastal areas, haors, islands, and forests.
To address human-elephant conflicts, she called for effective mitigation measures.
She instructed all government offices to become single-use plastic-free and emphasized launching awareness campaigns for horn control.
Stressing the crucial role of Deputy Commissioners in environmental conservation and sustainable management, she stated that ensuring the protection of the nation’s natural resources is a fundamental responsibility of the administration.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk
