World Bank (WB) will provide $36 million to Bangladesh for protection of wild life in the country, prevent illegal trading and regional threats to forest conservation as well as habitats.

A WB representative emphasised for trans-boundary forest preservation in South Asia as the Washington-based multi-lending agency has taken up a project -- Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wildlife Protection in Asia.

The project will be implemented in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India to help the participatinggovernments to address cross-border poaching and will fill crucial knowledge gaps in conservation.

The WB disclosed the information at the project launching ceremony jointly organised by Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the WB at a city hotel Sunday.

Environment and Forests Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud was present as chief guest in the event chaired by chief conservator of forests Md Yunus Ali.

"The project will be an important milestone for regional cooperation for wildlife conservation in South Asia," the minister said just before launching the first-ever World Bank supported regional project in the sub-continent.

He said protection of wildlife and its habitats were becoming a challenging task for the government due to rapid urbanisation and increased population growth in the forest areas, causing human-animal conflicts on a regular basis that have cost many lives.

According to a study, at least 418 people died in the last one decade in the country due to human-tigers and human-elephant conflicts while 42 elephants and 27 tigers were killed by human during the time when the wild animals come to nearby villages in search of food.

Mr Hasan Mahmud said the government has moved to amend the Bangladesh Wildlife (preservation) Act 1973, which has already been approved by the cabinet recently. "We're hopeful that it will be passed in the ongoing parliamentary session," he said.

Financial Express/Bangladesh/ 13th Feb 2012