The paper explores the statistical ground of preparing forest working plans and
provides a tentative list of required data and studies. It is observed that the
insufficiency of required data and lack of studies have resulted in serious shortcomings
in the present working plans of Bangladesh. The targets are not found to be
established on an analytical basis and the prescriptions and programmes do not
reflect the true requirements of the economy. Thus the plans are not consistent
with the objective of producing the maximum contribution to the society. In order
to improve the quality of the working plans it has become urgently necessary to
develop forestry sector statistics in Bangladesh. The paper suggests steps for accelerating
developments in this respect. The steps are concerned with institutional
changes, provision of adequate field staff and funds, organising training programmes
and formulation of a plan for statistical development by the Working Plans Division
of the Forest Department in close co-operation with the Planning Commission
and the Forest Research Institute.

The furniture and joinery industries of Bangladesh mostly use manual labour
and hand tools both in manufacture and in surface finishing. Modern woodworking
machines have been introduced on a very small scale in the recent past, but
they have not met with much success due to the lack of proper technical know-how
and trained personnel. These industries are expected to expand. As the general
economic conditions improve and per capita income rises, there will be need for an
increased production of furniture and joinery.

An investigation was made to determine the possibility of making sulphate pulp
from rubber wood {Hevea brasiliensis). The pulp obtained was low in yield and the
permanganate number was very high ranging from 12.35 to 24.44 predicting a high
bleach requirement. The physical strength properties of the pulps were moderate.
Rubber wood pulp showed promise to be used for making moderate quality wrapping,
bag and average quality printing papers.

Jam (Syzygium grandis), because of its availability and strength properties,
was considered for substituting garjan ( Dipterocarpus spp. ) for making railway
sleepers. Since treatment with creosote is normally the part of the manufacturing
process for railway sleepers from nondurable wood, jam heartwood was treated
with Lowry empty cell process using 40 ; 60 creosote-petroleum oil preservative in
order to develop a treating schedule for jam sleeper. Treatments were performed
with the various combinations of treating schedules with or without the pretreatment
ot steaming-vacuum or incision. None of the treatments, however, could
achieve penetration and retention recommended for the purpose of railway sleepers

This paper clearly shows that propagating bamboos from material
other than seed is possible. Propagation of bamboos from offsets is well
known and practised in village groves. The development of planting material
from branch cuttings is a two-stage operation. The first is the striking of roots
and the other, the development of a rhizome. Getting vigorous rooted stock is not
enough because this does not always develop rhizomes ; for this the biological
condition of the buds is very important. In bamboos, successful planting
material must have all the characters of growing clumps, the most important of
which is the production of new culms. Though offsets are a good propagating material,
these are not suitable for large scale plantations due to handling difficulties,
long branch cuttings with swollen basal nodes and 2-3 branch nodes
physiologically similar and can be made
branch
18-20 inch
are morphologically and to function
like the offset in suitable conditions. Such cuttings develop into
good planting material in 6-30 months, depending on the biological condition
of the cutting and the period of the year when the cuttings were taken.
The superiority of the branch cutting over the offset is in the fact that it is easy
to raise, economic to produce, and convenient to transport. At the moment the
percentage of success is low, and further research in the factors governing the production
of planting material from branch cuttings is necessary.This paper clearly shows that propagating bamboos from material
other than seed is possible. Propagation of bamboos from offsets is well
known and practised in village groves. The development of planting material
from branch cuttings is a two-stage operation. The first is the striking of roots
and the other, the development of a rhizome. Getting vigorous rooted stock is not
enough because this does not always develop rhizomes ; for this the biological
condition of the buds is very important. In bamboos, successful planting
material must have all the characters of growing clumps, the most important of
which is the production of new culms. Though offsets are a good propagating material,
these are not suitable for large scale plantations due to handling difficulties,
long branch cuttings with swollen basal nodes and 2-3 branch nodes
physiologically similar and can be made
branch
18-20 inch
are morphologically and to function
like the offset in suitable conditions. Such cuttings develop into
good planting material in 6-30 months, depending on the biological condition
of the cutting and the period of the year when the cuttings were taken.
The superiority of the branch cutting over the offset is in the fact that it is easy
to raise, economic to produce, and convenient to transport. At the moment the
percentage of success is low, and further research in the factors governing the production
of planting material from branch cuttings is necessary.

The numerous islands constituting the littoral
forests of the Sundarbans have been formed by
river-borne silts of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra,
the two main rivers of Bangladesh. The
forests lie between latitudes 21°30’N and 22°31’N
and between longitudes 89°E and 90°E.

The Bangladesh Energy Study, sponsored by the Planning Commission and
published a year ago, reviewed the estimates and surveys made of fuelwood
consumption and requirements in the country. It concluded that the consumption
of domestic firewood and other forms of vege.tativc fuels is unknown.
Since the use of wood as fuel far exceeds other uses in volume
importance a proper study is now considered necessary.
The paper describes the main physical, economic and statistical determinants
of fuelwood consumption in Bangladesh. It proceeds to describe survey methods
and strategy for determining this statistic. Supply estimates are then briefly
described.

Forest and forest products have provided food,
shelter, clothing and other necessities of life to
human beings since pre-historic days. With the
development of knowledge, men gradually discovered
better ways of living. Along with that they
discovered better uses of forests and forest products.
Thus, at different levels of the advancement of
human civilization, men have utilized the forest and
forest products in different ways to meet their socioeconomic
needs. While men of the Stone Age were
satisfied with their abodes in forest caves, eating
roots, shoots and fruits of trees and having the
leaves and barks of trees as their clothing, the modern
men have found other uses for forests and forest
products to cater to their socio-economic needs.
Forests and trees today, therefore help men in
agricultural development, industrial growth, economic
advancement, recreation, environmental control
and meet the demands of the human being in all
walks of life, from cradle to coffin. It is an irony
that realization of the importance of forests has
been quite jalc. Nevertheless, this late realisation if
properly implemented by different nations of the
world might save the human being from total
destruction. To arouse public consciousness concerning
(i) the significance of forest wealth (ii) the direct
and indirect benefits derived from the forests and
(iii) the importance of forest as a factor in nature
conservation the World Forestry Day is being celebrated
on the 21st of March every year indifferent
countries of the world. Bangladesh emerged as a

Urea formaldehyde resin extended with 0,50,100 and 150 percent of wheat
flour based on dry resin weight was used in the manufacture of three-ply 3/16″
thick plywood with civit veneer. Veneer moisture contents of 6 and 12 percent
and specific pressures of 150, 200 and 250 psi, applied during hot pressing, were
the other variables. The quality of glue bond was evaluated by the dry plywood
shear test and warm-water plywood shear test.
The dry test shows that with wheat flour extension, reduction in the bond
strength is statistically significant. However, even the extended glue mixes produce
adequate bond. The wet test shows that upto 50 percent extension, there is no
significant reduction in the bond strength but 150 percent extension produces a very
poor bond.
In the dry shear test, a significantly (1% level) higher bond strength is
found at 6 percent than at a 12 percent moisture content level although in the
wet tests no difference can be detected. This phenomenon can be well explained
in the light of the “Water-Monolayer Theory of adhesion”. According to this theory,
an adhensive adheres to the wood through a layer of water and the optimum bond
takes place when a monolayer is present in the substrate. This monolayer condition
is attained at about ten percent equilibrium moisture content for most of the wood
species. Wood, conditioned to six percent equilibrium moisture content, attains the
monolayer condition by absorbing water from the glue-mix. This is the reason of
higher bond strength of plywood made with veneer conditioned to six percent
moisture content as revealed by the dry test. However, during the wet tests,
plywood absorbs more water and thereby destroys this monolayer condition as a
consequence of which no difference is detected in the bond strength between the
two moisture content levels.

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