Forestry in Bangladesh

Last updated
Sun in Sunderbans.jpg
Sunderbans, the biggest mangrove forest in the world

Wood is the main fuel for cooking and other domestic requirements. [1] It is not surprising that population pressure has had an adverse effect on the indigenous forests. [1] By 1980 only about 16 percent of the land was forested, and forests had all but disappeared from the densely populated and intensively cultivated deltaic plain. [1] Aid organizations in the mid-1980s began looking into the possibility of stimulating small-scale forestry to restore a resource for which there was no affordable substitute. [1] Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) is the government organization under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for research in this sector which was established in 1955 at Sholoshahar, Chittagong city. [2]

The largest areas of forest are in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Sundarbans. [1] The evergreen and deciduous forests of the Chittagong Hills cover more than 4,600 square kilometres (1,800 sq mi) and are the source of teak for heavy construction and boat building, as well as other forest products. [1] Domesticated elephants are still used to haul logs. [1] The Sundarbans, a tidal mangrove forest covering nearly 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) along the Bay of Bengal, is the source of timber used for a variety of purposes, including pulp for the domestic paper industry, poles for electric power distribution, and leaves for thatching for dwellings. [1] The total percentage of forests are 10.98%.[ citation needed ]

Forestry universities

There are three universities in Bangladesh where a student can enroll for an undergraduate degree in forestry. Among them the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences under Chittagong University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees both in Forestry and in Environmental Sciences. This is the premier institute for Forestry education in Bangladesh. The three universities of Bangladesh offering undergraduate and graduate degree in Forestry are:

Name of InstitutionLocationDegree
Chittagong University Chittagong B.Sc./M.S./M.Phil./Ph.D..
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet B.Sc./M.Sc.
Khulna University Khulna B.Sc./M.S/Ph.D.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Bangladesh</span> Geography of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a densely populated, low-lying, mainly riverine country located in South Asia with a coastline of 580 km (360 mi) on the northern littoral of the Bay of Bengal. The delta plain of the Ganges (Padma), Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and Meghna Rivers and their tributaries occupy 79 percent of the country. Four uplifted blocks occupy 9 percent and steep hill ranges up to approximately 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) high occupy 12 percent in the southeast and in the northeast. Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterised by heavy seasonal rainfall, high temperatures, and high humidity. Natural disasters such as floods and cyclones accompanied by storm surges periodically affect the country. Most of the country is intensively farmed, with rice the main crop, grown in three seasons. Rapid urbanisation is taking place with associated industrial and commercial development. Exports of garments and shrimp plus remittances from Bangladeshis working abroad provide the country's three main sources of foreign exchange income.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengal tiger</span> Tiger population on the Indian subcontinent

The Bengal tiger is a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies and the nominate tiger subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Arizona University</span> Public university in Flagstaff, Arizona, US

Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. Founded in 1899, it was the final university established in the Arizona Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khulna</span> Metropolis in Khulna Division, Bangladesh

Khulna is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative center of the Khulna District and the Khulna Division. Khulna's economy is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing $53 billion in gross regional domestic product and $95 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) in 2020. In the 2024 census, the city corporation area had a population of 884,445.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ganges Delta</span> Delta of the Ganges River

The Ganges Delta is a river delta in Eastern South Asia predominantly covering the Bengal region of the subcontinent, consisting of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the world's largest river delta and it empties into the Bay of Bengal with the combined waters of several river systems, mainly those of the Brahmaputra river and the Ganges river. It is also one of the most fertile regions in the world, thus earning the nickname the Green Delta. The delta stretches from the Hooghly River east as far as the Meghna River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh Agricultural University</span> First agricultural university in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Agricultural University, abbreviated as BAU, was established in 1961. It is the first agricultural university and also the second largest public university of Bangladesh. This university is located in Mymensingh city. The university has 44 departments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sundarbans National Park</span> National park and nature reserve in West Bengal, India

The Sundarbans National Park is a national park, tiger reserve and biosphere reserve in West Bengal, India. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta and adjacent to the Sundarban Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. It is located to south-west of Bangladesh. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile. The present Sundarban National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarban Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On 4 May 1984 it was declared a national park. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1987, and it has been designated as a Ramsar site since 2019. It is considered as a World Network of Biosphere Reserve from 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sundarbans</span> Mangrove forest in the Bay of Bengal

Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. Sundarban Reserve Forest (SRF) of Bangladesh is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It spans the area from the Baleswar River in Bangladesh's division of Khulna to the Hooghly River in India's state of West Bengal. It comprises closed and open mangrove forests, land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels. Sundarbans is home to the world's largest area of mangrove forests. Four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, viz. Sundarbans West (Bangladesh), Sundarbans South (Bangladesh), Sundarbans East (Bangladesh) and Sundarbans National Park (India).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khulna University</span> Public university in Bangladesh

Khulna University is a public university in Gollamari, Khulna, Bangladesh. It is near the river Moyur, beside the Sher e Bangla Road. The academic programs of Khulna University started on 31 August 1991 with 80 students in four disciplines. As of 2023, the university has 29 disciplines under 8 schools.

The University of Forestry and Environmental Science (Yezin) (Burmese: သစ်တောနှင့်ပတ်ဝန်းကျင်ဆိုင်ရာ တက္ကသိုလ် (ရေဆင်း), pronounced[θɪʔtɔ́tɛʔkəθò(jèzɪ́ɰ̃)]), in Yezin near Nay Pyi Taw, is the only university specialized in forestry and environmental science in Myanmar. Founded in 1923 as the Forestry Department of Yangon University, in 1992, the University of Forestry and Environmental Science became a separate entity based in Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw. It mainly offers a five-year Bachelor of Science degree program in forestry and environmental science as well as two-year master's and three-year doctoral programs. The university is administered by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. Undergraduate students are required to take part in a field training program each winter from third year. Graduates of the university typically become forestry officers at the Forestry Department, the Dry Zone Greening Department, the Environmental Conservation Department or the Myanma Timber Enterprise. Others find employment in non-governmental conservation organizations such as FREDA, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, JICA, WCS, WWF, FFI as well as other local and international research institutions and conservation organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology</span> Public university specified for engineering and technology, situated in Chattogram, Bangladesh

Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, commonly referred to as CUET, is a public engineering and technological research university in Bangladesh located in Raozan in Chittagong. Established in 1968 as the Chittagong Engineering College and gained autonomous graduate school status in 2003, this university is a state funded institution, maintaining special emphasis on teaching and research of engineering, technology, architecture and planning under five faculties and seventeen academic departments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sitakunda Upazila</span> Upazila in Chattogram Division, Bangladesh

Sitakunda is an upazila in the Chattogram District of Chattogram Division, Bangladesh. It includes one urban settlement, the Sitakunda Town, and 10 unions. Sitakunda is the home of the country's first eco-park, as well as alternative energy projects, specifically wind energy and geothermal power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur</span> Public university specified for engineering and technology, situated in Gazipur, Bangladesh

Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur, commonly known as DUET, formerly BIT Dhaka, is a public engineering and technological research university in Gazipur, Bangladesh, which focuses on the study of engineering and architecture. It is one of the top PhD granting research universities of Bangladesh. The university requires diploma engineer candidates, graduated from polytechnic institutes or technical schools affiliated by the Bangladesh Technical Education Board for under-graduation enrollment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National University, Bangladesh</span> Public university in Bangladesh

The National University of Bangladesh is a public collegiate university of Bangladesh that was established in 1992 by an Act of Parliament as an affiliating university of the country to impart graduate and post-graduate level education to the students through its affiliated colleges, schools and professional institutions throughout the country. It is the second largest university in the world according to enrollment. The headquarters is in Gazipur, on the outskirts of Dhaka. After its establishment it affiliated association degree awarding colleges, where many of them were previously affiliated by the University of Dhaka, University of Rajshahi and University of Chittagong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Bangladesh</span> Overview of tourism in Bangladesh

Tourism in Bangladesh includes tourism to World Heritage Sites, historical monuments, resorts, beaches, picnic spots, forests, tribal people, and wildlife of various species. Activities for tourists include angling, water skiing, river cruising, hiking, rowing, yachting, and sea bathing.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) is a public agricultural university in Bangladesh, established in 1998. It was the first Center of Excellence Graduate Agricultural Institute in Bangladesh emphasizing research and extension. It is located at South Salna, in Gazipur District. It is 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) from Gazipur Chowrasta, just east of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.

The College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech contains academic programs in forestry, fisheries, wildlife sciences, geography, and wood science. The college contains four departments as well as a graduate program in the National Capital Region and a leadership institute for undergraduates.

Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) is an institute for forestry research in Bangladesh, located at Sholashahar, Chattogram.

Environmental impact of development in the Sundarbans, is the study of environmental impact on Sundarban, the largest single tract mangrove forest. It consist of a geographical area of 9,629 square kilometres (3,718 sq mi), including 4,185 square kilometres (1,616 sq mi) of reserve forest land, and is a natural region located partly in southern Bangladesh and partly in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is ecologically a southern part of the Gangetic delta between the Hooghly river in India on the west and the Meghna river in Bangladesh on the east and is bounded by the Ganga-Padma, the Padma-Meghna on the north and by the Bay of Bengal on the south. The area that is not reserve forest land is inhabited by human settlements with a total population around 4 million (2003).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government agencies in Bangladesh</span>

The Government agencies in Bangladesh are state controlled organizations that act independently to carry out the policies of the Government of Bangladesh. The Government Ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions. Some of the work of the government is carried out through state enterprises or limited companies.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Heitzman, James; Worden, Robert L, eds. (1989). "Forestry Products". Bangladesh: a country study. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. p. 128. OCLC   49223313. PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. "BFRI at a glance". BFRI . 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2021-03-09.