The minister came up with the request in a meeting with Derrick S. Brown, USAID Mission Director for Bangladesh at the Ministry, said a handout of Press Information Department (PID).
The minister sought assistance of USAID over different issues including forest management, forest expansion, curbing wildlife trafficking, pollution control, establishment of environment database and satellite monitoring.
Shahabuddin impressed upon his guest that the issues would receive the necessary attention if Bangladesh gets the desired cooperation from USAID.
Brown said USAID wants to work with Bangladesh intimately in the sectors of forest management, and curbing wildlife trafficking for next five years.
They were working on signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between US Department of Agriculture and Forest Service, USAID and the ministry, he said.
Steps will be taken to preserve environment and wildlife of country’s North-eastern region, Chattogram Hill Tracts, Teknaf and Sundarbans, he added.
Habibun Nahar, Deputy Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, Secretary Ziaul Hasan NDC, and Chief Conservator of Forests Md Shafiul Alam Chowdhury were also present there in the meeting.