A special satellite imagery is being developed to determine where trees should be planted in Dhaka to improve urban greenery and sustainability.
In an exclusive interview with UNB, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury shared details about the plan, emphasizing collaboration among various government departments.
“To develop a comprehensive afforestation plan for Dhaka, we are working in coordination with the Local Government Division, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Health, RAJUK, and both city corporations,” the minister said.
He elaborated, “We are strategizing on which areas of Dhaka we can reforest and what types of trees we can plant, in collaboration with the aforementioned departments. Discussions have already been held with the mayors of both Dhaka city corporations, and we have started our work.”
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The minister highlighted the loss of green spaces and water bodies in Dhaka, stressing the need to incorporate these elements into urban development plans. “A healthy and liveable city requires a certain level of greenery. Areas with more trees tend to have lower temperatures, which is why we aim to implement an urban forestry project in Dhaka to maintain tolerable temperature levels.”
He also noted that satellite images specifically for Dhaka are being created to guide the tree planting process effectively.
“We can determine the percentage of green spaces needed, but we are unsure how much of the global standards we can effectively implement in Bangladesh, especially in a densely populated city like Dhaka. We are already making some progress in this regard,” he added.
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The environment minister emphasized the critical role of climate action plans in creating a cleaner, greener, and more vibrant Dhaka. Despite having two city corporations, the climate action plan will be implemented as a unified strategy for the entire city. This approach aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the urban area, home to over 20 million people. He further mentioned that coordination among ministries will be enhanced to tackle climate change effectively.
Reiterating his strong support for Dhaka’s climate action plan, the minister committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a bright and green future for Dhaka and the entire country. He called on development partner countries to support Bangladesh in its fight against climate change.
He also mentioned, “We believe we can meet the minimum environmental requirements. Failing to do so will compromise Dhaka’s liveability.”
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Referring to the RAJUK’s Purbachal project, the minister pointed out that a significant portion of land, 140 acres, has been reserved for afforestation. “This area has been specifically set aside for forestation, but if the entire region becomes concrete, we will lose the opportunity to create green spaces,” he cautioned.