Dhaka, May 1 -- In the midst of a blistering heatwave sweeping over Bangladesh for more than a month, talking about trees is all the rage. Many say that the environment is gradually heating up due to frequent and unnecessary tree-cutting. The people are now beginning to face the consequences of prolonged deforestation and forest clearance.

To maintain a country's natural environment, at least 25 per cent of its area should be forested. However, the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has stated that only 15.58 per cent of Bangladesh's total area is covered with forest land, reports bdnews24.com.

According to data from the World Resources Institute-operated platform Global Forest Watch, from 2001 to 20...