Govt contemplates digital survey of forests

Cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam has said the government will conduct a digital survey of the country’s forests coverage and the Chittagong Hill Tracts to find out how many people are living in the forests.

“The government will rehabilitate the inhabitants of the forests across the country including the Chittagong Hill Tracts,” the cabinet secretary told the reporters on Thursday after a cabinet meeting that was presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He said the forest department has now planned to encourage forest inhabitants to look after the respective forests.

Currently people are getting 70 percent of the proceeds of social forestry after selling those trees, he said.

Regarding huge forest burglary cases, he said the Prime Minister has given clear instructions for the disposal of the cases after reviewing.

Several ministries are facing questions from constituents over the piled up cases, he said.