Bangladesh government today okayed the chopping down of over 3,200 trees from reserve forests in Gazipur and Cox’s Bazar for separate project works.

The decision was made in a regular cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Cabinet Secretary M ShafiulAlam said in the post-meet briefing.

According to papers, 1,546 trees in 2.34-acre forest in Chandpur Union of Gazipur's Kapasia upazila will be cut for building a mini stadium there. Among them, 1,400 are Akashmoni trees and the others include mango, jackfruit, plum and bamboo.

“The forest was created as part of a social plantation project,” the cabinet secretary said.

The youth and sports ministry will be offering Tk 23,66,096 as compensation to the forest department for chopping down the trees. The forest department will receive 30 per cent of the sum, while the remaining would be distributed among the tree planters.

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Fate of 3,200 trees rests on the cabinet

Meanwhile, another 1,701 trees in 191.25-acre forest in Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar will be felled for a project of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

The BPC will pay a yearly revenue of Tk 2,400 for each acre of land and Tk 1.37 crore as compensation. Besides, the BPC will plant trees five times more than those to be felled by it and ensure maintenance of the trees for five years.

A total of 1,701 trees, including garjan, black berry, karai, khalsi, telsus, shimul, and 1,250 cane bushes will be cut down for the “Installation of Single Point Mooring (SPM) with double pipeline” project.