?Firms near Sundarbans not a threat to forest’

The 154 factorie operating within the ecologically critical area (ECA) around the Sundarbans are not a threat to the world’s largest mangrove forest, Dr Sultan Ahmed, ex-director general of the Department of Environment (DoE), told a press briefing yesterday. The briefing was organised at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Wednesday after a 16-member team from Bangladesh recently returned to the country after attending the 43rd session of the 21-member World Heritage Committee that took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from June 30. The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO had decided in that meeting not to keep the Sundarbans, the world’s largest ma…