The reform in the SBCP will be made as per the lessons learnt from the process of implementation of the project over the last three years since 2000, said project director Dr Saiful Islam.

Environment and Forests Minister Tariqul Islam inaugurated the workshop on reformation of the SBCP at the IDB Bhaban in the city yesterday.

Tariqul underlined the importance of taking concerted regional and international efforts to protect the bio-diversity of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF).

"The Sundarbans is a pride of Bangladesh as being a world heritage in this part of the globe," he said. But a vicious circle comprising population problem, climate change and diversion of water flows of the upstream rivers, has endangered the existence of the world's largest mangrove, he added.

He said the SBCP was formulated very hurriedly in 2000 without any proper action plan to protect the interests of local people, arrange alternate livelihood for them and secure the integrity of the environment and bio-diversity of the SRF.

State Minister for Environment and Forests Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, Resident Representative of ADB in Bangladesh Taru Shibuchi, Secretary of the Environment and Forests Ministry Syed Tanveer Hussein, ADB consultant Dr Sanaul Mostafa, SBCP Director Dr Saiful Islam and Deputy Director Ali Kabir Haider took part in the discussion. Chief Conservator of Forests M Anwarul Islam was in the chair.

Sanaul said that the SRF with its non-wood resources, wildlife, tourism and fisheries, was not being properly managed in terms of bio-diversity conservation. That is why, the Sunderbans is facing depletion, he said.