Holistic approach needs to be adopted to conserve the beneficial
insects in the greater interest of maintaining biodiversity and
ecological balance.
Environmental scientists and other researchers concerned said the
farmers destroy various species of the insects during the time of
eliminating the destructive ones due to lack of adequate knowledge in
this regard.
Prof Dr Bidhan Chandra Das of the Department of Zoology of Rajshahi
University says all insects are not harmful for the crops but the
chemical pesticides or insecticides are more or less endangered for
both human health and other beneficial insects.
He, however, says the destructive as well as the injurious insects can
easily be controlled through promoting eco- friendly method of using
organic fertilizer and indigenous insecticides instead of chemical
ones. Importance should be given on conservation of eco-friendly
insects and laid stress on successful promotion of biological pest
management system in the agro-fields.
So, we have to devise ways and means of controlling the harmful pest
in hygienic way instead of poisoning. He said insects are most valued
in conservation for their ecological roles and observed that
terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems would not work without insects.
The farmers should be imparted practical training on how to identify
the insects whether it is beneficial or not.
Prof Bidhan Das said priority should be given to some major issues
like collection, preservation and identification of economically
important insect fauna in Bangladesh in order to significant
development in agriculture, forestry, human health, livestock,
wildlife and environment.
Prof Khalequzzaman, former Director of RU Institute of Biological
Sciences, termed the insect conservation scenario in Bangladesh as
frustrating which is detrimental to the whole ecosystem.
He says the modern and eco-friendly dissemination policies should be
developed so that the rural people would be inspired to conserve one
of the most important groups of natural resources in the country.
Former Director of Institute of Environmental Sciences of RU Professor
Dr Sarwar Jahan said bio-pest management system should be promoted
among the growers to protect the beneficial insects from degradation
for the sake of maintaining a sound environment that is very essential
for the nation. -BSS, Rajshahi
