Suggest senior journalists
Editors and senior journalists from different print and electronic media suggested taking measures against polluters, loggers and land grabbers to save the country’s environment even if the decisions go against the ruling party men.
They requested the state minister for environment to take measures to save the country’s rivers from pollution and encroachment and to preserve the bio-diversity. They also assured the minister continuing media support to create awareness among the masses for protecting environment.
The suggestion came at a views exchange and Iftar programme with the editors hosted by Dr Hasan Mahmud, the state minister for environment and forest ministry yesterday.
Monowar Islam, director general (DG) of the Department of Environment (DoE) in a small presentation said the DoE has set a vision to make a pollution free, sustainable and healthy environment by 2021.
Out of 806 red category industries that need effluent treatment plant (ETP), 371 have already installed ETP in the Dhaka city, he said.
The DG also said the DoE recently has conducted drive against 18 industries polluting the environment and fined them Tk 2,54,87,200 and realised Tk 1,09,56,000.
He said Bangladesh is currently facing several environment problems including water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, impacts of climate change, waste management, hill cutting, bio-diversity destruction and noise pollution.
The department is working to mitigate these problems.
Among the senior journalists Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, editor of now defunct the Observer, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of the Manabzamin, Shykh Seraj, chief of news, Channel I, Mostafa Kamal Mazumder, editor of the New Nation, Habibur Rahman Milon, advisory editor to the Ittefaq, Zahirul Islam Mamun, chief of news ATN Bangla were present on the occasion.
Senior officials including Dr Mihir Kanti Mazumder, secretary to the environment and forest ministry, Ishtiaq Ahmed, chief conservators of forests, Bangladesh were also present.
The minister listened to the views of the senior reporters and journalists and assured them of sitting with them shortly to discuss the issue and to take measures.
