UNB, Dhaka :
Assuring her government will do everything necessary for conservation of the tigers, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the tiger range countries to continue their sincere efforts for protecting tigers.
“I want to assure you all that my government will do everything and continue all sorts of cooperation for conservation of the tigers. I also hope that the tiger range countries would keep their continued efforts for protecting tigers. Let us join hands to save the tigers and save the nature,” she said.
The Prime Minister gave the assurance and made the appeal while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 2nd Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference 2014 held at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests has organized the three-day conference in cooperation with Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and the development partners, including the World Bank, aimed at saving the big cat from extinction.
The main objective of the conference is to review the implementation plan under the Global Tiger Recovery Programme for the tiger
inhabiting countries. The conference will adopt a ‘Dhaka Recommendation’ for the conservation of tigers across the globe. With Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju in the chair, the function was also addressed by Deputy Minister for Environment and Forests Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, Secretary of the Ministry Md Nojibur Rahman, World Bank Country Director Johannes Zutt, Global Tiger Forum Secretary General Rajesh Gopal, Global Tiger Initiative Programme Manager Andrey V. Kushlin and Bangladesh’s Chief Conservator of Forests Md Yunus Ali.
Sheikh Hasina, who received a token of appreciation from the organizers for her role in protecting tigers, urged the global community to protect the Sundarbans as it protects the southern coastal region of Bangladesh from storms and cyclones.
Stressing that the Sundarbans needs to be saved for its colossal storage of biodiversity, besides the precious Royal Bengal Tiger, she said it’s a unique place of natural beauty and biodiversity. The Sundarbans is a natural protector of the southern coastal areas of Bangladesh from cyclone and other calamities originated in the Bay of Bengal.
“We are more than three years into the Global Tiger Recovery Programme. I believe we have arrived at a turning point to reach our desired goals of protecting tigers. We have to take steps reviewing our previous activities and renewing our plans, activities and implementation strategies,” she said.
The Prime Minister hoped that in continuation of the previous efforts, this Conference will make a significant stride towards implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme aiming to double the number of wild tigers by the Tiger Range Countries and their partners as directed by the ‘Thimphu Affirmative Nine-Point Action Agenda on Tiger Conservation’.
She said, that wild tigers have for centuries occupied a special place in the nature and culture of Asia. Tiger has been declared as the national animal in many countries and it is a symbol of strength and courage.
“Unplanned human population growth, indiscriminate industrialization, destruction of forest and overall development pressure are causing depletion of the habitat of tigers.”
At the same time, Hasina said illegal poaching and squeezing of its habitat make the tiger an endangered species. During the last one century, the population of this majestic animal has been reduced from over 100,000 to a mere 3,700 worldwide now.
“I hope that this conference would play a significant role in increasing tiger population, and conserving and ensuring secured life of this beautiful creature,” she said.
