The government is placing strong emphasis on integrated planning and eco-friendly alternative livelihoods to protect the endangered Saint Martin’s Island, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Speaking at a high-level meeting held at the Department of Environment in Agargaon, Dhaka, the adviser underscored the need to improve the quality of life for the island’s residents as part of broader conservation efforts.
To that end, she announced that support will be extended to poor farming families for cultivating salt- and climate-resilient vegetables and crops.
Initiatives will include technical assistance, training, and demonstration programs.
Support for compost and vermicompost production will also be provided, along with training in organic pest control for coconut farming. Assistance will be given for poultry and livestock farming, and for establishing small-scale home nurseries.
The Adviser further announced that food assistance for fishing communities will be increased during fishing ban periods.
Fisher folk will also be equipped with sustainable and eco-friendly fishing gear. In addition, skill development programs will be introduced in areas such as tailoring, cap making, midwifery, computer operation, motor driving, boat navigation, electronics, and hotel management.
Local youth will be trained as tourist guides, and a group of “Environment Guards” will be formed to aid in conservation efforts.
Participants engaged in detailed discussions and reached a unanimous decision to adopt a sustainable plan to preserve Saint Martin’s Island’s biodiversity.
Notable attendees included Environment and Climate Change secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed; Additional Secretaries Md. Navid Shafiullah, Dr. Fahmida Khanom, and Md. Khayrul Hasan; Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman, Director General of the Department of Environment; and Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests. Representatives from the Coast Guard, Tourist Police, CEGIS, Department of Fisheries, and several other public and private entities were also present.