Int’l Mountain Day Saturday

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The International Mountain Day-2021 is being observed on Saturday in the country like elsewhere across the world aiming to increase attention to the importance of mountains.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘Sustainable Mountain Tourism’.

The day is being observed since 2003 after the UN declaration of International Year of Mountains came in 2002 under the phenomenon that unfortunately mountains are under threat from climate change and over exploitation.

As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people – some of the world’s poorest – face even greater struggles to survive.

The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages on the eve of the day.

In his message, the President said, “The hilly districts with natural beauty are very attractive destinations for travelers. Extensive infrastructural development is taking place in the regions so that tourists can enjoy the beauty of the mountains in a comfortable way.”

Hilly region is containing one of the different landscape specialties in Bangladesh, the head of the state said, adding that the observance of the International Mountain Day will increase awareness among the people on the life and culture of the hilly people.

In another message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, almost 22 percent area of the world is hilly region which is the home to 12 percent of the world population, adding that mountains are 60 to 80 percent sweet water source in the world.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first man who had turned the hilly people to the mainstream of development, said the Prime Minister.

She added, “Bangabandhu gave the instruction to maintain particular quota in the college, university and technical institutes for the students living in the hilly areas in 1973.”

The Awami League government is working relentlessly for the development of the hilly region, said the premier.

The government is implementing the ‘National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2016-2021) with the aim of conserving the biodiversity of the hilly region, its sustainable utilization and ensuring equal benefits to all the beneficiaries, she added.

“We have signed a peace agreement on December 2 in 1997 for permanent peace and sustainable development of the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT)”, she said in her message.

Both the president and the premier wished the overall success of all the programmes which will be organized on the occasion of ‘International Mountain Day-2021’.