[🇧🇩] Save the Rivers/Forests/Hills-----Save the Environment

[Saif]

Economy and environment

BANGLADESH’S meandering geographical landscape and low-lying delta topography make it susceptible to natural disasters. However, beyond these geographical challenges, there have been many more casualties, and all of them are directly or indirectly connected to reckless behaviour and flawed...

www.newagebd.net

Economy and environment
Ummi Hossain 29 April, 2025, 23:06

BANGLADESH’S meandering geographical landscape and low-lying delta topography make it susceptible to natural disasters. However, beyond these geographical challenges, there have been many more casualties, and all of them are directly or indirectly connected to reckless behaviour and flawed thinking frameworks. These problems mainly stem from unsustainable practices.

One of the contributors is the garment industry. More than 84 per cent of Bangladesh’s export earnings are produced in the textile sector. Bangladesh’s ready-made garment exports grew by 7.23 per cent in 2024, reaching $38.48 billion, up from $35.89 billion in 2023, according to the Export Promotion Bureau. On one hand, it is profitable, but on the other hand, it is harmful for our environment. Extreme emissions of carbon dioxide and solid waste are damaging the ecosystem continuously, and industrial wastes are directly polluting the water of the Buriganga, the Shitalakhya, and the Karnafuli River and also lands. Considering the economic advantages and environmental damages of this industry, Bangladesh should attract more eco-friendly systems where economic growth never becomes a barrier to environmental security. This shift in perspective is crucial for the growth and security of Bangladesh from various angles.

Likewise, a further threat is posed by brick kilns, as they are also a fundamental source of air pollution in Bangladesh. In this situation, two possibilities should be considered. First, new alternative technology to construction needs to be introduced; at least actions must be taken against unauthorised brick kilns. According to existing law, if any person makes bricks without obtaining a licence from the district administrator of the district of the brickfield, then he or she shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than one year, with or without a fine which may extend to one lakh taka or both.

Even in Bangladesh, the concerning impact of vehicles on worsening air pollution demands more attention. It not only causes immediate inconvenience in the surroundings but also long-term public health problems like heart diseases, asthma and other lung disorders. Over 235,000 lives were lost due to air pollution in 2021. Children under five years old are especially vulnerable, with health effects including premature birth, low birth weight, asthma and lung diseases.

Besides, there are still many unnecessary personal vehicles driven by gasoline and diesel that create harmful nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and formaldehyde. According to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1983, whoever drives or causes or allows or lets out a motor vehicle for use in any public place, the smoke of which would constitute a health hazard, shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to 200 taka. Police can also seize and detain the vehicle. To deal with this difficult situation, the use of electric battery vehicles should be increased. In the renowned green city of Bangladesh named Rajshahi, this step has already been taken. At first, in 2008, battery-operated autorickshaws were presented in Rajshahi. After getting benefits from it, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology again introduced rental e-bikes for personal use, which are very eco-friendly for our environment. The e-bike charge fee is 2 taka per minute. It also helps to sustain the economic growth while promoting environmental security.

It is also important to acknowledge that deforestation is another major critical issue impacting Bangladesh. In 2020, Bangladesh’s natural forests spanned 1.82 million hectares, accounting for 13 per cent of its total land area. By 2023, the country had lost 20.2 thousand hectares of natural forest, leading to 11.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, Section 33 of the Forest Act 1927 depicts that cutting or dragging any timber shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years and shall not be less than six months and shall be liable to a fine which may extend to Tk 50,000 and not be less than Tk 5,000.

Moreover, Bangladesh has heavy reliance on fossil fuels for its energy security, marked by several challenges, including inefficient energy consumption and environmental concerns. Obviously, it serves as one of the main reasons for the emission of greenhouse gases and further degradation of the environment. On the other hand, the unnecessary use of air conditioning, televisions and other electric devices has increased. In addition to that, many outdated machines in buildings, industries, and transportation are consuming more and more energy. No wonder the reserves of the energy are depleting too. In turn, the mitigation of the environment has become more challenging because of the increased demand for the production of fossil fuel-based energy. Thereby, in an oppositional way, the reliance on diversifying renewable energy sources like solar, wind and hydroelectric power is really significant not only for economic security but also for environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, Bangladesh must consider global collaboration for energy security. It highlights how climate action cannot be isolated. The meaningful partnerships across international boundaries are required not only to secure funds for climate-induced loss and damage but also to foster the innovative, eco-friendly solutions. These solutions, moreover, aim to sustain the economic growth while causing no harm to the environment. Hence, by prioritising sustainability and minimising pollution, Bangladesh can not only enhance its climate resilience but also actively participate in global climate efforts.

Ummi Hossain is an apprentice lawyer at Rajshahi Judge Court.​

 

[Saif]

Govt should set policy focus right to save rivers

THE High Court in yet another welcome directive on May 6 asked the government to take some specific steps for a better oversight of River Sitalakhya conservation projects. The directive came on a writ petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which highlighted the unchecked dumping of...

www.newagebd.net

Govt should set policy focus right to save rivers
08 May, 2025, 00:00

THE High Court in yet another welcome directive on May 6 asked the government to take some specific steps for a better oversight of River Sitalakhya conservation projects. The directive came on a writ petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which highlighted the unchecked dumping of untreated industrial and solid waste into the river. The 110km Sitalakhya was once the mainstay for fishers but has now lost its aquatic biodiversity. The fisheries department earlier confirmed that waste dumped into the river was the main reason for the fish stock decline. Most industrial units along the river do not have functioning effluent treatment plants. In 2017, the environment department reported the level of dissolved oxygen in the Sitalakhya water at 2 parts per million during the monsoon season and almost zero level in the dry season, which should be 6 parts per million for the survival of aquatic lives. The High Court directive to form an oversight committee to prevent the pollution of the river is what the government should comply with.

The High Court has also asked the government to assess the extent of pollution and environmental damage and report back to court in three months. It has asked the authorities about their inaction in taking action against all responsible for the pollution. In 2010, a writ petition was filed seeking a court directive on the unchecked pollution of rivers. The court later issued a series of orders which included identifying errant industrial units and taking actions against them. In January 2020, the court asked the utility service providers to disconnect gas, power and water connections to the factories discharging untreated industrial wastes into the river. It is worrying that the litigant has to move court again to seek an order to enforce the directives. It is concerning given that the environment, forest and climate change adviser has announced the commitment to protecting and reclaiming rivers and had been on the front line of movements that sought protection of the environment. The steps so far taken resemble the insincerity of the predecessors, especially the deposed Awami League government.

The government should, therefore, abandon the superficial and non-committal policy attitude and take early action against errant industrial units and prosecute the Sitalakhya polluters. It should also comply with the court orders and not only the order at hand but all orders issued in the past.​

 

[Saif]

No new industries within 10km of Sundarbans ECA

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has prohibited any new industrial activities or projects within 10 kilometres of the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) around the Sundarbans.

www.thedailystar.net

No new industries within 10km of Sundarbans ECA
Govt issues notification

Star file photo

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has prohibited any new industrial activities or projects within 10 kilometres of the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) around the Sundarbans.

The ministry issued a notification, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Sabrina Rahman, in this regard yesterday.

It said measures of necessary environmental conservation and pollution control may be adopted in light of the announcement. Also, action can be taken aiming at sustainable management.​

 

[Saif]

undefined | The Financial Express

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Speakers at policy breakfast urge clean air law, say it is a constitutional right, not a luxury
FE Online Report
Published :
May 15, 2025 19:45
Updated :
May 15, 2025 19:46

Speakers at a policy breakfast on Thursday underscored the need for the enactment of a clean air act and the inclusion of strict standards to control air pollutants emitted from power plants in the 2022 Air Pollution Control Rules.

They also called for strong administrative mechanisms and public-private partnerships with accountability in renewable energy financing.

Clean air is not a luxury—it is a constitutional right, they said.

The policy breakfast, titled "Revisiting Energy Policies for Ensuring Clean Air," was jointly organised by the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), and the Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) at the conference hall of the BIP in Dhaka city.

CAPS Chairman Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder presented the keynote paper at the event, which was chaired by Professor Md Shahidul Islam, Chairman of the Department of Geography and Environment at Dhaka University.

The country’s half a dozen coal-fired power plants are not only polluting the air but are also harmful to agriculture and biodiversity, said Abu Sayed Md Kamruzzaman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

Nayoka Martinez Bäckström, First Secretary and Deputy Head of Development Cooperation (Environment & Climate Change) of the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, highlighted the support of many European partners for a clean and just energy transition through innovation in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and by enhancing grid connectivity, distribution, and storage.

She also emphasised the importance of involving civil society organisations, researchers, think tanks, youth, and industry stakeholders in energy sector coordination.

The country’s energy demand can be reduced through increased public transport and greater use of renewable energy, which will also help control urban air pollution, said BIP President Professor Adil Muhammad Khan.

CPRD Executive Director Md Shamsuddoha stressed the need for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement, which is currently missing in national energy policies.

He called for ensuring civil society participation in national-level policymaking.

Mohammad Fazle Reza Suman, Convener of the Advisory Board of BIP; Dr Md Saifur Rahman, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director at the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), urged both the interim and future governments to rely on local expert panels rather than foreign consultants for developing energy and other policies.​

 

[Saif]

DNCC to collaborate with volunteers for conservation, greening of 33 canals in Dhaka

Several voluntary organisations will work to green the banks of 33 canals and lakes in Dhaka city by planting trees to prevent encroachment from June 1, said Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz. Azaz announced it after attending a meeting on-site inspection of canal, la

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

DNCC to collaborate with volunteers for conservation, greening of 33 canals in Dhaka
FE Online Desk
Published :
May 15, 2025 21:32
Updated :
May 15, 2025 21:32

Several voluntary organisations will work to green the banks of 33 canals and lakes in Dhaka city by planting trees to prevent encroachment from June 1, said Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz.

Azaz announced it after attending a meeting on-site inspection of canal, lake banks and determination action plan on Thursday, reports UNB.

The DNCC administrator said, “We are appointing one gardener for every one kilometre of the canal bank for planting and maintenance of trees. They will work together with these voluntary organizations.”

Each of the 33 canals has been allocated to a specific organisation. For example, Green Voice will be responsible for the Rampura canal, while OAB Foundation (RSDB) will manage the Abdullahpur canal.

Other participating organisations include Brighters, Human Safety Foundation, Young Climate Action Network, Smriti Sarkar, Dakshinkhan Welfare Society, Youth Environment and Development Organization, and Alokito Kori Amra.

The administrator also announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the city corporation and the volunteer organisations will be signed next week to formalise the collaboration.

Environmental engineer Mohammad Abul Kashem, urban planner Sanjida Haque, and other officials from the DNCC’s Environment, Climate, and Disaster Management Circle were present during the visit and discussions.​

 

[Saif]

When rivers weep in silence

RIVERS have for long been Bangladesh’s lifeblood — irrigating paddy fields at dawn, carrying timber and trade by noon, and quenching hearths and homes each evening. Yet today, these ancient arteries lie poisoned and diminished: the Buriganga is bathed in industrial effluent, the Sitalakhya reeks...

www.newagebd.net

When rivers weep in silence
Joydeep Chowdhury 18 May, 2025, 00:00

RIVERS have for long been Bangladesh’s lifeblood — irrigating paddy fields at dawn, carrying timber and trade by noon, and quenching hearths and homes each evening. Yet today, these ancient arteries lie poisoned and diminished: the Buriganga is bathed in industrial effluent, the Sitalakhya reeks of rust and neglect and the Turag is reduced to a choked whisper of its former breadth. We once invoked their names in song and myth. Now we invoke them in courtrooms.

In 2019, the High Court delivered a groundbreaking judgement. It declared the River Turag, and, by extension, all rivers, as living entities and legal persons. The Appellate Division upheld the ruling, establishing it as national law. The National River Conservation Commission was appointed in loco parentis, Latin for ‘in the place of a parent’, and is legally responsible for protecting these rivers, speaking on their behalf, and ensuring their rights are enforceable against both private corporations and public agencies.

This decision was not just a legal ruling; it was a poetic moment. It offered a river the dignity long afforded to banks and corporations. And yet, over half a decade later, the question floats unanswered: has the river’s life improved? The Buriganga still runs thick with industrial discharge, its waters as dark as night. The Sitalakhya smells of corrosion and abandonment. The Turag, once the inspiration for personhood, now flows like a wounded vein — narrowed, choked, silenced.

We gave rivers a voice in the courtroom but left them mute in the real world.

Where water becomes bloodline

TO UNDERSTAND the betrayal, we must first remember what rivers mean to this land. Bangladesh is not simply a country with rivers. It is a country made of them.

More than 700 rivers flow across this delta like ancestral threads, stitching together the nation’s geography, economy, memory, and soul. Rivers are not beside us; they are beneath us, within us. Our rice fields bow to their seasonal rhythms. Our fishermen trace their dreams along their channels. Our poems, songs and proverbs speak of the Padma, the Meghna and the Jamuna, not as water bodies but as mothers, lovers and warriors.

Rivers birthed our settlements. They fed our revolts. They carried our tears and our trade. Our language is moist with their memory — nadir mata chhila meyeti, she was like a river, as we say of a woman. They are metaphors and matter. They are flow and form.

When we say a river is dying, we are not speaking of water. We are speaking of lineage. We are speaking of ourselves.

Hollow inheritance of rights

LEGAL personhood is not a decorative label. It means an entity is granted rights similar to those of a human or a corporation. It can file and receive lawsuits. It can seek redress. This concept gained momentum in New Zealand when the River Whanganui received guardians who represent it in court and parliament.

In Bangladesh, however, river personhood was declared without such a scaffold. The rights exist in theory, but the river has no lawyer, no budget, and no standing. Factories still bleed toxins into their heart. Developers still gnaw away at its banks. Politicians still offer protection to the predators.

We handed the rivers a constitution, but not a conscience. We gave them a name, but not a backbone.

The National River Conservation Commission, declared the guardian of the rivers, cannot file criminal complaints independently. It cannot enforce eviction orders. It cannot compel factories to change or ministries to act. It relies on fragile cooperation from overlapping and often complicit government agencies. This process is not guardianship. This is ceremonial witnessing. A parent who cannot protect their child is not truly a parent. A guardian who cannot raise a voice in court or break a concrete slab from a riverbank is no guardian at all.

Symbolism, not stewardship

BANGLADESH’S personhood ruling has been cited in global law reviews and praised at conferences. But what has it achieved at home? The Buriganga’s breath grows thinner by the year. Untreated urban discharge pollutes the Karnaphuli. The Meghna swells with plastic, foam, and pesticide.

Symbolism without infrastructure is cruelty with flair. We have clothed our rivers in law’s finest language and then left them to die in silence.

A parallel unfolded in India in March 2017, when Uttarakhand’s High Court declared in Mohammad Salim v State of Uttarakhand that the Ganges and Yamuna were ‘living persons,’ appointing state officials in loco parentis to defend their rights. Weeks later, however, the Supreme Court stayed the order, citing its overreach and the absence of legislative authority, leaving both sacred rivers to continue bleeding untreated sewage and industrial waste. This legal mirage reveals that personhood in the abstract cannot heal poisoned waters; only a clear legislative framework, budgeted enforcement, and genuine guardianship can.

Ritualising rivers

THIS legal spectacle has left our rivers mere stage props. We have mastered lofty proclamations — granting personhood in courtrooms, convening seminars, and publishing glossy reports — but failed at real stewardship. Judges may declare rivers ‘legal persons,’ yet the agencies tasked with protecting them often lack sufficient funds, independence, and authority. A guardian without power is nothing more than an empty shell.

Our personhood ruling was a splendid ceremony: the law clothed rivers in sanctity but let them drown beneath concrete embankments and factory effluent. We extol ‘living entities’ while allowing the same encroachments, illegal discharges, and sand-mining that halve their breadth. Without a firm legislative framework — clear statutes defining guardians’ powers and enforceable remedies — our rivers remain ghosts: honoured in name, abandoned in reality.

True guardianship needs more than words. It demands funded enforcement units free to file suit, dedicated river tribunals to hear pollution cases, and empowered community stewards to act when a river’s health falters. Otherwise, personhood is a poem recited to a corpse — beautiful in theory, lifeless in practice.

Illusion of equivalence

BORROWED legal models such as Ecuador’s constitutional nature rights and New Zealand’s Maori guardianship do not translate neatly into Bangladesh’s socio-legal context. We lack the legislative follow-through, the political will, and the cultural respect for law that such transformations demand. Our rivers do not need foreign costumes. They need local custodians: boatmen, farmers, poets, and local councils — those who understand the rhythm of monsoon and silt, who weep when a river recedes.

The rivers may be ‘legal persons,’ but who will act on their behalf? Who will file the lawsuit when a textile plant dumps mercury into a canal? Who will attend court, pay the legal fees, and gather evidence? Without a river rights act, a law clearly defining legal standing, funding, and procedural recourse, the verdict means little. Justice that exists only in a judge’s chamber is no justice at all.

The interim government’s silence exacerbates the present situation. Without direct electoral pressure, it is reasonable to assume that this is the ideal time to act decisively and establish long-overdue ecological accountability. Nonetheless, the temporary administration has maintained a disconcerting quiet. The lack of communication from the environmental adviser’s office is notably unexpected, considering her established reputation as an environmentalist. Her public credentials include decades of advocacy, numerous accolades, and international recognition. At this pivotal juncture, her office has neither issued any significant statement nor articulated regulatory resistance to the industry’s ongoing damage to our rivers. This dilemma necessitates an evaluation. Why does a prominent environmentalist keep silent as rivers become polluted and disappear?

Bangladesh’s environmental statutes are deeply anthropocentric. They protect rivers only because humans need them. But what about the river as a being, an ecosystem, a cultural mirror? We must shift from the idea of rivers as usable things to rivers as co-inhabitants of this land. That shift is not legalistic. It is philosophical. And perhaps it’s the only path to survival.

Metaphor must bleed

WE CALLED the rivers people. That metaphor must now bleed into budgets, litigation, schoolbooks, and city planning. It must change how embankments are built, how factories are inspected, how water is treated, and how children are taught. If a river is a person, then poisoning it is murder. Encroachment must be considered theft. Then silence must be complicity.

The 2019 decision, affirmed by the Appellate Division, was not merely a ruling. It was a moment of national self-recognition. But the potential for change is hindered by policy paralysis. A law without legs is not a law — it is literature. Rivers once carved this land into civilisation. Now we must carve a civilisation that respects the rivers.

Let us not wait until our rivers become relics in textbooks and names of roads. Let us act not as landlords of nature but as children returned to their mother. If the law cannot cry with the rivers, then what is its voice for?

Joydeep Chowdhury is a lecturer in law at Sonargaon University, Dhaka. He is also an advocate at the district and sessions judges court, Dhaka.​

 

[Saif]

Over 103,900 hectares forestland restored under SUFAL project

As many as 103,960 hectares of forestland have been restored, with notable improvements in the diversity of indigenous plant species across hill tracts, Sal forests, and coastal zones. Adviser to the environment ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan shared the development on Wednesday, calling it a landmar

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Over 103,900 hectares forestland restored under SUFAL project
FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
May 21, 2025 21:19
Updated :
May 21, 2025 21:24

As many as 103,960 hectares of forestland have been restored, with notable improvements in the diversity of indigenous plant species across hill tracts, Sal forests, and coastal zones.

Adviser to the environment ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan shared the development on Wednesday, calling it a landmark achievement of the Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods (SUFAL) Project.

The initiative is driving forest restoration, biodiversity conservation, and improved community livelihoods across Bangladesh, she added.

Speaking as the chief guest at the wrap-up meeting of the World Bank Implementation Support Mission at the ministry, the adviser highlighted the successful rollout of the Site-Specific Planning (SSP) tool using an ODK-based dashboard.

This digital innovation has enabled the Forest Department to adopt data-driven approaches for restoration planning.

Rizwana Hasan also mentioned the completion of the Red List assessment for 1,000 plant species and the formulation of a strategic management plan to tackle invasive alien plant species in five protected areas.

Among the project’s other notable accomplishments were the approval of the National Conservation Strategy and the Plan of Action for Sharks and Rays, along with the development of Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) for four shark and ray species—a critical step toward ensuring sustainable wildlife trade.

The adviser emphasised the full operationalisation of the Community Operations Manual (COM) in 615 Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) institutions, directly benefiting over 41,000 forest-dependent individuals.

She further noted that environmental and social safeguards have been embedded across all field operations, including plantations and infrastructure development, while e-Government Procurement (e-GP) ensured transparency and accountability in all procurement processes.​

 

[Saif]

Biodiversity finance initiative launched to mobilise finance for nature

Bangladesh has officially launched the "Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans", marking a significant step toward sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation. The initiative is part of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN)—a global partnership...

en.prothomalo.com

Biodiversity finance initiative launched to mobilise finance for nature
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 22 May 2025, 21: 44

Biodiversity finance initiative launched to mobilise finance for nature Collected

Bangladesh has officially launched the "Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans", marking a significant step toward sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation.

The initiative is part of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN)—a global partnership led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)—which works with over 130 countries to develop innovative finance solutions for nature.

The launch event, held at the Department of Environment (DoE) and co-organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and UNDP, underscored Bangladesh's commitment to mobilising resources for biodiversity protection in line with its obligations under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of MoEFCC, emphasised the urgency of integrated environmental governance. “This initiative provides a crucial platform to close financing gaps and achieve sustainable development for both people and planet,” she stated.

Sonali Dayaratne, Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh, reaffirmed UNDP’s partnership, noting, “Ecosystems are foundational economic assets. Investing in biodiversity means investing in food and water security, climate resilience, and human well-being.”

In his keynote, Arif M Faisal, UNDP Programme Specialist, highlighted the current status of biodiversity finance, existing financing gaps in Bangladesh and proposed the establishment of a National Biodiversity Trust Fund, incorporating biodiversity budget tagging, eco-tourism revenue sharing, and payments for ecosystem services.

Chairing the event, Md Kamruzzaman, Director General of DoE, hailed the launch as “a milestone,” calling for collaborative action to enhance resilience and protect biodiversity through innovative financing.

The event also featured high-level interventions from MoEFCC officials, interactive sessions on the best global practices, and discussions on financing solutions aligned with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), National Biodiversity Target and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Annabelle C Trinidad, Senior Technical Advisor of BIOFIN, discussed the global perspective of the BIOFIN programme and various innovative instruments used for nature conservation.

The launch brought together representatives from government, civil society, academia, the private sector, and development partners—united by a shared goal: to make nature-positive development a reality through sustainable finance.​

 

[Saif]

ঢাকার চার নদী দখল-দূষণমুক্তে বিস্তারিত কর্মপরিকল্পনা গ্রহণের ঘোষণা: পরিবেশ, বন ও জলবায়ু উপদেষ্টা

পানি সম্পদ এবং পরিবেশ, বন ও জলবায়ু পরিবর্তন মন্ত্রণালয়ের উপদেষ্টা সৈয়দা রিজওয়ানা হাসান জানিয়েছেন, ঢাকার চারপাশের বুড়িগঙ্গা, তুরাগ, বালু ও শীতলক্ষ্যা নদী দখল এবং দূষণমুক্ত করতে সরকার বিস্তারিত কর্মপরিকল্পনা গ্রহণ করছে। তিনি বলেন, বিশ্ব ব্যাংকের সহায়তায় প্রাথমিকভাবে তুরাগ নদীকে দখল ও দূষণমুক্ত ক

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

ঢাকার চার নদী দখল-দূষণমুক্তে বিস্তারিত কর্মপরিকল্পনা গ্রহণের ঘোষণা: পরিবেশ, বন ও জলবায়ু উপদেষ্টা

এফই অনলাইন ডেস্ক
Published :
May 23, 2025 23:58
Updated :
May 23, 2025 23:58

পানি সম্পদ এবং পরিবেশ, বন ও জলবায়ু পরিবর্তন মন্ত্রণালয়ের উপদেষ্টা সৈয়দা রিজওয়ানা হাসান জানিয়েছেন, ঢাকার চারপাশের বুড়িগঙ্গা, তুরাগ, বালু ও শীতলক্ষ্যা নদী দখল এবং দূষণমুক্ত করতে সরকার বিস্তারিত কর্মপরিকল্পনা গ্রহণ করছে।

তিনি বলেন, বিশ্ব ব্যাংকের সহায়তায় প্রাথমিকভাবে তুরাগ নদীকে দখল ও দূষণমুক্ত করার উদ্যোগ নেওয়া হবে। এর জন্য প্রয়োজনীয় পরিকল্পনা চূড়ান্তের কাজ চলছে।

আজ শুক্রবার (২৩ মে) রাজধানীর বাংলাদেশ শিল্পকলা একাডেমির জাতীয় চিত্রশালায় জাতীয় নদী দিবস ২০২৫ উপলক্ষে নোঙ্গর ট্রাস্ট আয়োজিত ‘জীবন নদী’ সপ্তাহব্যাপী চিত্র প্রদর্শনীর আলোচনা সভায় এসব কথা বলেন তিনি।

রিজওয়ানা হাসান বলেন, নদী দখলদার উচ্ছেদ, ড্রেজিং, সীমানা নির্ধারণ এবং শিল্প-প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো যেন দূষণ না ছড়ায়, সে বিষয়ে পরিবেশ অধিদপ্তরের সক্ষমতা বাড়াতে হবে। তিনি আরও বলেন, নদীগুলো রক্ষা না করলে বাংলাদেশ টিকবে না।

তিনি জানান, রাজধানীর ১৯টি খাল দখলমুক্ত ও পরিষ্কারের জন্য স্বল্প ব্যয়ে ড্রেজিংয়ের কাজ শুরু করা হয়েছে, যাতে ঢাকায় জলাবদ্ধতা কমানো যায়।

এছাড়া তিনি বলেন, ইতোমধ্যে সব জেলা প্রশাসকদের কাছ থেকে নদীর তালিকা সংগ্রহ করে তা প্রকাশ করা হয়েছে। ৬৪ জেলার নদীগুলোর তালিকা থেকে ১১টি নদী বাছাই করে বিশেষ পরিকল্পনা নিয়ে কাজ শুরুর উদ্যোগ নেওয়া হচ্ছে।

তিনি আশাবাদ ব্যক্ত করেন, এ ধরনের প্রদর্শনীর মাধ্যমে নদী ও পরিবেশ নিয়ে মানুষের সচেতনতা বাড়বে এবং জনগণ সোচ্চার হলে সরকারও নিষ্ক্রিয় থাকতে পারবে না।

পরে তিনি ‘জীবন নদী’ শীর্ষক প্রদর্শনীর উদ্বোধন করেন এবং প্রদর্শনী ঘুরে দেখেন। এ ছাড়া তিনি নদী কর্মীদের অংশগ্রহণে আয়োজিত সাইকেল র‍্যালিরও শুভ উদ্বোধন করেন।

অনুষ্ঠানে সভাপতিত্ব করেন নোঙ্গর ট্রাস্টের চেয়ারম্যান সুমন শামস। বিশেষ অতিথি হিসেবে বক্তব্য দেন ওয়ারপোর মহাপরিচালক মোহাম্মদ লুৎফুর রহমান, হাওর অঞ্চলবাসী সংগঠনের প্রধান সমন্বয়ক জাকিয়া শিশির এবং সাকুরা স্টিল লিমিটেডের ব্যবস্থাপনা পরিচালক ইব্রাহিম আহমেদ রিপন।​

 

[Saif]

Biodiversity threatened by hill agriculture

Yesterday, 22 May was the international day for biological diversity. This year, we pledge ‘harmony with nature and sustainable development’ on this occasion. To survive properly, the first thing we need is to build a close relationship with the environment and maintain a proper balance with it.

en.prothomalo.com

Biodiversity threatened by hill agriculture
To survive properly, the first thing we need is to build a close relationship with the environment and maintain a proper balance with it.

Mrityunjoy Roy
Published: 23 May 2025, 17: 20

The soil around the base of teak trees that are highly water absorbent has eroded severely. Photo taken in Dharmaghar area of Kutukchhari in Rangamati Sadar upazila on 20 May 2025. Supriyo Chakma

Although Bangladesh is a small country, there is a lot of diversity here. The country has a particularly rich collection of agricultural and biological diversity. Very few countries in the world have the crop diversity like Bangladesh.

Around 400 different types of crops are cultivated here. And, there are thousands of varieties of these crops. At one time, there were over 12,000 varieties of paddy alone.

Just like crops, there is a wide range of plant diversity as well. The country is home to nearly 6,000 species of flora, 1,600 species of vertebrate, and 2,500 species of invertebrate life-forms. It has not been possible to determine an accurate account of Bangladesh’s biodiversity yet.

The country is also unique in its landform diversity. A vast delta formed with Himalayan silt and crushed rock, Bangladesh has a lot of wetlands, haors (floodplains), highlands, hills along with the sea. On one side there lies the sea-washed coastline with plants, crocodiles, and turtles living in the saline water and soil there.

Meanwhile, about 400 species of freshwater fish and the Gangetic dolphin inhabit the rivers, canals, and wetlands here. Then there is the Sundarbans a mangrove forest on the edge of the sea, which works as a natural protector for us.

The Sundarbans is home to 528 species of plants, 339 species of birds, and about 1,600 other species of wildlife, including microorganisms. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s evergreen and mixed hill forest is a part of the 34 biodiversity hotspots around the world.

There are 1,560 species of flowering plants, including orchids, bamboo, teak, garjan, telsur, and bailam found in the hill forests. Plus, these forests are home to a variety of animals including elephants, leopards, deer, bears, butterflies, lizards, snakes, and different bird species.

Before the 1960s, the hill tracts were lush and full of biodiversity. However, the construction of the Kaptai dam in the 1960s and increased human settlement started cutting down on the greenery.

Similarly, the expansion of tea gardens and crop farming in Sylhet and Moulvibazar led to the destruction of many hill forests. As a result, many of the biodiversity from the hill tracts came under threat while several species disappeared completely.

Plains agriculture creeps up to hills
Our natural hills are no longer retaining their original form. In ancient times, the hill forests were the habitats for flora, thick with large trees covering the slopes in greenery. There was no such human presence there rather they served as a habitat and sanctuaries for the wild animals.

But as the country’s population increased, humans gradually encroached upon these areas. Forests were cleared to build homes, and jhum farming expanded to meet the demand of food.

Traditionally, a particular hill is used for jhum farming only once in a year. After farming on the hill once, the farmers locally known as Jumiya leave that hill fallow before starting cultivation on that land again. Doing jhum farming in this method allows the soil to regain its natural fertility.

Earlier, jhum farming was done on a limited scale. But now, cultivation of a wide range of crops typically grown in the plains is now expanding extensively in the hill tracts overpowering jhum farming.

Nowadays, crops such as bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, long beans, tomatoes, coriander, tobacco, sugarcane, and chillies are commercially grown on hill slopes, valleys between slopes, and near streams across different seasons—just like in the plains. According to statistics, pineapples were cultivated on 3,314 acres and mangoes on 3,748 acres of land in Rangamati in 2020–21.

Meanwhile, mango was cultivated on 2,839 acres of land in Bandarban and on 4,207 acres in Khagrachari. Many fruit orchards have been established through various development projects as well. Fruits that are usually cultivated on the plains are the same ones now being grown in the hills.

Hill-grown amrapali mangoes have been branded in Dhaka and the production of fruit in the country is increasing, which in turn is helping to improve our nutrition. However, we may not be able to see the damage it is causing to the local environment, biodiversity and to the ecosystem, the consequences of that are far-reaching.

The same soil that is loosened in cultivating these crops on the hill slope is washing away during rainfall before filling out the streams and canals while sometimes causing landslides when the softened soil collapses. The meaning of wetlands, lowlands, and streams being filled out is making scopes for many aquatic biodiversity to vanish completely.

Permanent mango, jackfruit, and lychee orchards have now been established on many hills. Tea, coffee, and cashew farming are also on the rise. Recently retired additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Paban Chakma, who was born and raised in the hills of Khagrachari, said the hill environment he knew in his childhood, with clean water sources, diverse wildlife, and lush greenery, has largely vanished now.

Even traditional jhum farmers are shifting towards more profitable crops like turmeric, chorakochu or mukhikachu (a variety of local yam or taro root), and cassava. This is a very common picture now in the hills of Matiranga, Guimara, Laxmichhari, and Manikchhari.

These crops require digging into the soil. Even pineapples are now being cultivated by digging into the soil, which is loosening the soil on the hills, making them fragile. The loosened soil is rolls downhill and filling out the small streams locally known as jhiri. The local verities of fish fries there used to be in these jhiris of Matiranga in his childhood, are nowhere to be found now, he added.

It’s not just the fish, Paban Chakma saw bear cubs in Jharnatila area of Matiranga even in 2005. But, no more of them have been sighted since. Also the fruit orchards are failing to yield expected harvest sometimes. For instance, while the local lychee varieties are still bearing fruit, there is no production of China-2 and China-3 varieties due to fluctuating temperatures in recent years. Meanwhile, mango trees are increasingly being affected by diseases and pests.

The loss of nature’s treasure trove
Through this method of cultivation, we have lost many medicinal plants native to the hills as well as endangered various animal species that depended on those plants. It is generally believed that when a single plant species disappears from its habitat, at least 30 species of organisms that rely on it are put at risk. In cultivating these crops from the plains on the hills, are we not losing those vital biological resources?

When people living on the hills fall ill, they often rely on local herbs and plants found in their surroundings for treatment. A research by the Bangladesh National Herbarium has shown that the indigenous communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts use 2,295 prescriptions to treat at least 302 different illnesses. These traditional remedies involve around 700 species of forest medicinal plants.

Many of these precious plants from this rich botanical database have been wiped out in the name of clearing weeds for farming. Besides, the insects and animals that survive by feeding on the leaves, sap, and fruits of those plants have also disappeared from there. It seems we may be losing a lot in our quest to gain a little.

There is no denying that we must cultivate crops for food. At the same time, we must also acknowledge that we do not have the right to destroy any natural habitat or harm biodiversity in the process. Also the country’s environmental conservation laws do not permit that. Unless there is a balance between agriculture and conservation, ecological and environmental disaster become inevitable.

We must let the crop fields remain for crops and the hills remain as hills. Disrupting the innate environment and food chain of different types of biodiversity there are in these two ecosystems will interrupt our own food chain one day.

Hills are being cut down to build walls, and the excavated soil is being used to fill in paddy fields. This ongoing destruction is severely harming the ecosystem of the hills. As a result, the biodiversity of these areas is under increasing threat. Photo taken in Shukrachhari area of Rangamati Sadar upazila on 20 May 2025. Prothom Alo

Humans behind environmental pollution

It’s not just the invasion of plains crop cultivation we are also polluting the environment on the hills in cultivating those crops. Machines used to pump irrigation water from streams or to till the soil burn fuel. The forests are being cleared and burned to make space for farmland by destroying native and natural vegetation. This further releases carbon and pollutes the air.

In addition to this, there are incidents of illegal land grabs, deforestation, and hill-cutting as well. Chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which are harmful to the environment, were never part of traditional hill or jhum agriculture.

These chemicals are now being used indiscriminately and extensively due to the boom in commercial farming. And, this is killing a wide range of insects and creatures, starting from the pollinators.

As a result, the soil, water, and air in those ecosystems are becoming polluted. The use of chemical fertilisers is harming soil microbes, while fertiliser-mixed water is entering the streams and canals, killing small fish and disrupting aquatic life.

Invasive species

If you go to Suwalok union in Bandarban, you will see an abundance of mangium and akashmoni trees in the hill forests. Similarly, you will see a widespread plantation of teak trees alongside eucalyptus by the rubber orchards in Ramgarh of Khagrachhari and on the hilly slopes of Rangamati.

Teak tree plantation on the hills of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Chattogram, and Sylhet began back in 1873. In the 1980s, teak trees were planted in these areas officially by the government.

From the experience of the locals living on the hills, no other plants can grow beneath the teak trees. The fallen teak leaves also degrade the soil where it accumulates in heaps. As far as the teak roots spread underground, new saplings sprout all along the roots. So, they quickly take over the new habitat.

However, the teak root does not spread out like a net thus fail to prevent soil erosion. Also it is a valuable timber tree so nobody likes to clear the teak trees out. These trees then drive out other species of trees from the vicinity.

The small streams, springs, and waterfalls are the only source of drinking water on the hills. According to locals’ experience, when the natural forests are cleared and replaced with extensive teak plantations, these trees can absorb vast amounts of water to dry out the soil.

When DAE additional director Paban Chakma was an upazila agriculture officer in Rangamati Sadar back in 2018, he saw teak plantation spread on the hill right in front of his eyes. Before the teak plantation was established, he had seen water flowing in the canal of Deppochhari of Sapchhari area there.

He said that water cannot be found there even by digging into the soil any longer, let alone the canals or the springs. Also, the rainfall patterns have become erratic. The water crisis on the hills is now at its peak.

Although we are happy to plant teak trees for making furniture, they have now become a threat to many species of biodiversity and native forest plants. Similarly, plants like asam tree, asam creeper, kash (wild sugarcane grass), shon (sungrass), lojjaboti (mimosa), bilati tulsi (bush mint), and lantana are also behaving invasively in the hill tracts.

Even water hyacinth is raising concern with navigation in the Kaptai lake and the Karnaphuli river at times. These dense, mat-like layers of water hyacinth block sunlight from reaching the water. And, this disrupts the life cycle of many aquatic creatures.

For example, dragonflies can lay eggs only in open water. Their larvae cannot survive without water. And, their species will not continue with laying eggs. Meanwhile, fish survive from consuming these dragonfly larvae living in water.

This bonding between the living organisms and the nature is eternal. The spread of these foreign invasive plants, while ignoring the natural native vegetation of the forests, leads to ecosystem changes and the gradual disappearance of indigenous flora.

This has a negative impact involving displacement of native species of plants and animals, change of the natural nutrition cycles, and reduction of biodiversity in the hill forests.

Research and action needed

Yesterday, 22 May was the international day for biological diversity. This year, we pledge ‘harmony with nature and sustainable development’ on this occasion. To survive properly, the first thing we need is to build a close relationship with the environment and maintain a proper balance with it.

In Bangladesh, thirteen Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) have been designated to emphasise on the importance of preserving environmental balance. Areas are declared as ECAs to protect various species of flora, fauna, and overall biodiversity.

While the Sundarbans is included in this list, the hill forests are absent. That means, the hilly forests have not been classified or declared as ecologically critical areas. The issue calls for reassessment and research considering the reality.

If declared an ECA, many activities that are destructive to the environment could be restricted in these regions. The indiscriminate destruction of natural forests and vegetation would be prevented, hunting of wild animals would be banned, and the natural habitats of plants and animals would be preserved and actions causing soil, water, air and noise pollution will be prohibited in those areas. And, this will protect the country’s biodiversity.

Although there have been some scattered research on this, no complete list of the country’s biodiversity has been prepared yet. There needs to be more research in this field. Also there is a need for detailed studies to strike a balance between agriculture with environmental conservation. Developing and implementing eco-friendly agricultural technologies can both protect the environment and increase food production.

Given the country’s geographical location and environmental conditions, implementing “crop zoning” method for food production would be a logical step. Such planning and legislation is needed for it that nobody can cultivate whatever crop they want in any certain place just at random. Most importantly, an effective awareness and involvement of local communities is essential for the conservation of biodiversity.

*Mrityunjoy Roy, agronomist and environmental writer​