The long-term goal of the National Forest Policy of Bangladesh is to enhance the contribution of the forestry sector to the country's ecology and economy. This goal is best explicitly defined by specific categories of objectives and related policy measures. Depending on the nature and scope of policy measures, sectoral conditions will change. Thus, achievement of policy objectives depends on effective adoption and implementation of policy measures. Specific forest policy measures are proposed to:
· Effectively conserve, rehabilitate, replenish, expand, enhance, develop and manage the forest resources of the country, as a renewable national asset, to meet the vital needs of forest goods and services, for the benefit of all citizens of the country, now and in the future.
· Protect the land resource (all forest lands generally and watersheds particularly) against degradation by deforestation, soil erosion, shifting cultivation, landslides, floods, fire, grazing, and other natural and anthropogenic causes, and to enhance the protection function of forests and trees.
· Protection of wild flora and fauna; conserve ecosystems, preserve biodiversity, maintain essential ecological processes and improve the environmental services of forests through maintenance, and, where necessary, restoration of ecological balance and establishment/ enhancement of a nation-wide system of protected areas.
· Promote efficient and waste-free harvesting, processing, and utilization of forest products, in order to obtain increased net benefit/profit/rent or return on investment, thus facilitating forest sector economic growth and increased export earning (through increased exports or import substitution) of the country.
· Provide increased socio-economic benefits to the people of the country by contributing to the basic needs of families, poverty alleviation, employment creation, income generation and better living conditions, and by supporting agricultural and rural development.
· Develop and support a network of appropriate and suitably linked institutions at different levels, consisting of public, private, corporate and cooperative sectors involved in forestry, each with its specific institutional policy and mission, legal instruments and financing mechanisms, and together capable of addressing the present and emerging issues and challenges in a smooth and coordinated manner.
· Facilitate human resources development for forestry in qualitative and quantitative terms, including education, training and improvement of skills and capabilities.
· Promote and support goal-oriented forestry/forest products research, and improve research capabilities through adequate training, appropriate institutional restructuring and provision of adequate incentives.
· Establish an effective system of forestry extension for disseminating new and improved technology, research information and knowledge for the benefit of farmers and rural community, for arranging delivery of improved planting materials and for creating public awareness about the roles and contributions of forestry.
· Establish an adequate and effective mechanism of coordination/cooperation with other sectors of Bangladesh economy having influence on forestry, and also with international agencies and institutions concerned with forestry development.
