FAO country representative Jiaoqun Shi today met with CHT Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Jan 15, 2025(BSS) - CHT Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma today said that bamboo would be the main factor for the economic development of the hill districts.

“We want to increase the production and use of bamboo for building the strong economic backbone of the CHT and reduce the water scarcity of the area,” he said while speaking during a meeting with the country representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Jiaoqun Shi at his office at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

“We want to develop the hill areas without changing the nature and environment. Bamboo is a very effective and important instrument to protect the environment of the hill region,” he said, adding that for this reason, the government is not encouraging people of the region to plant Segun, Mehgani and high rise trees in the areas.

He urged the FAO representative to take pro-people projects to keep environment and natural reserve forest in a balanced state.

“We hope that the projects undertaken by the FAO would be sustainable and long lasting in the hill areas,” he said, adding that those projects will help meet food demands of the hill people as well as help develop their livelihood.

“We have to increase cultivation of bamboo and preserve the forest, jungles, fountains and small flows of hill waters,” he said, adding that the government has taken initiatives to cultivate cashew nuts, coffee and maize in 26 upazilas of the CHT area.

The adviser urged the FAO representative to take new projects for nursing these crops.

Joint Secretary of the CHT Affairs Ministry Sajal Kanti Banik, private secretary to the adviser Deputy Secretary Khandkar Mushfiqur Rahman, FAO Assistant Country Representative Imanun Nabi Khan, National Project Implementation Officer Emdadul Haque Chowdhury and UNDP representative A A Mong, were present at the meeting, among others.