The Government of Bangladesh approved the Sustainable Forests & Livelihoods (SUFAL) Project, which operated from 2018 to 2023 with a total budget of Taka 15027.217 million (equivalent to US$178.90 million). It has now been extended until June 2025, with revised budget Taka 15523.02 million. The implementation of the project falls under the Bangladesh Forest Department, which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.

The SUFAL project has four main objectives, which were restoring degraded and denuded forest ecosystems, conserving biodiversity through sustainable forest management practices, and creating livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities. The project has established plantations on newly accreted char land and outside forest areas, and provided capacity building and forest extension services to the private sector.

Additionally, the project had developed alternative income-generating activities for the most poor, vulnerable, forest-dependent communities and ethnic groups through conservation-focused Alternative Income Generating Activities (AIGAs) and market-based value chain development.