The government allowed cutting of 498 Shal trees in Joydevpur- Maona section of Dhaka-Mymensing highway partially changing its earlier decision prohibiting tree-felling in the reserve forests.The cabinet in its weekly meeting on Monday approved a proposal of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in this regard to make way for implementation of the four-lane project from Joydevpur to Mymensing.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the cabinet meeting while ministers, PM’s advisers, state ministers in charge different ministries and concerned secretaries were present. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said, the cabinet in a meeting on December 30, 2010 imposed ban on cutting any trees from reserve forests till 31 December, 2014.But, cutting of the trees became essential for implementing Joydevpur-Mymensing four-lane project as per new alignment finalized after soil test, he said adding after completion of the project, the cabinet asked for planting same number of Shal trees on both sides of the highway.The cabinet secretary said, Banking and Financial Institution Division apprised the cabinet of the decision the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) clearing Bangladesh’s name from its grey list of money laundering countries.The cabinet expressed satisfaction over the decision of the FATF, an inter-governmental body for developing and promoting policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The cabinet observed that the FATF decision is a great respite for Bangladesh as the decision acknowledged the country’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, the cabinet secretary said.
