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

[Saif]

Climate change demands a new approach to protecting haor farming

Every year, farmers in the haor wait anxiously for the harvest season. A flash of lightning in the sky or a cover of dark clouds can send waves of panic through them during March and April.

www.thedailystar.net

Climate change demands a new approach to protecting haor farming

Kashmir Reza

A farmer harvests half-ripe paddy in Hakaluki Haor of Moulvibazar on April 6, 2026, as heavy rains and upstream water submerged Boro on thousands of hectares. Photo: Mintu Deshwara

Every year, farmers in the haor wait anxiously for the harvest season. A flash of lightning in the sky or a cover of dark clouds can send waves of panic through them during March and April. Flash floods threaten crops just weeks before harvest. Despite large public investments for crop protection dams, uncertainty persists. At the same time, these dams are increasingly criticised for their negative impact on the haor ecosystem. This recurring vulnerability raises an important question: are crop protection dams really the most effective solution for safeguarding haor agriculture?

Elderly residents of the haor recall a different past when once there were no crop protection dams and farmers relied on local knowledge, seasonal adjustments, and small earthen barriers built by the community. After Bangladesh’s independence, more structured embankments began to appear. With the establishment of a haor development board in 1974, public financing for embankment construction began. Large-scale construction expanded in the 1990s.

Then, the devastating flash floods of 2017 marked another turning point. Massive crop losses triggered protests across the haor region, and demands emerged that construction should be shifted away from contractors and handed over to local farmers. Following these protests, the Kabita Nitimala 2017 was revised and Project Implementation Committees (PICs), largely composed of local stakeholders, were assigned responsibility for embankment construction.

Haor agriculture depends heavily on a single crop, Boro rice, grown during the dry season. Nearly 30 percent of Bangladesh’s total Boro rice comes from haor areas, making crop protection a national priority. To protect this crop, submersible embankments are constructed every year.

In Sunamganj alone, Boro cultivation covers more than 223,500 hectares, while around 602 kilometres of embankments have been built this cycle. The Bangladesh Water Development Board allotted about Tk 148 crore for the construction. These projects are implemented through PICs involving local farmers and stakeholders. Yet, despite this investment, farmers continue to face crop losses and uncertainty.

The need for crop protection dams cannot be ignored. Haor areas remain highly vulnerable to flash floods originating from upstream hills and heavy rainfall. These floods often arrive just before harvest, destroying crops and pushing farmers into debt. The 2017 disaster still remains fresh in people’s memory. For millions who depend on a single annual crop, embankments provide at least some sense of security.

However, these dams often fail to deliver reliable protection. Construction delays, poor-quality work, weak monitoring, and premature rainfall frequently undermine their effectiveness. In many cases, embankments remain incomplete even after construction deadlines have passed. Others develop cracks soon after construction. In recent years, heavy rainfall and hailstorms have damaged crops before harvesting could begin in several haor areas. These recurring failures suggest that the problem is not merely technical but also institutional, involving governance, planning, and accountability.

Given these realities, a broader, combined approach is necessary as dams alone cannot protect haor agriculture.

Flash floods in the haor region are becoming more frequent due to climate change and geographical realities. Ensuring the smooth flow of floodwater from the northeastern region to the sea is crucial. Dredging rivers within the haor basin could help improve drainage capacity. In addition, downstream rivers up to Bhairab and the Meghna basin may also require dredging to ensure proper water flow. Meanwhile, climate change has shifted the timing of floods. Earlier, floods used to arrive in late April. Now, they sometimes occur in late March. This demands early harvesting strategies. Currently, most haor rice varieties take 150 to 160 days to mature. If shorter duration varieties of around 120 days become widely available, farmers could harvest the crops before the floods arrive. In that case, reliance on crop protection dams would be reduced significantly. Developing these varieties is important, but ensuring seed availability afterwards and raising awareness about them among farmers is equally crucial.

Heavy rainfall in the Meghalaya hills remains a major trigger for flash floods in the haor region. Improving weather forecasting and early warning systems could help farmers make timely decisions. Restoring canals, wetlands, and natural drainage systems could also increase water-holding capacity and reduce sudden pressure on embankments. The government’s canal excavation programme, if properly implemented, could play a beneficial role for haor areas.

Crop diversification is another important measure. Dependence on a single crop increases vulnerability. Therefore, haor dwellers could put more emphasis on fish production. At the same time, fishermen’s rights to the wetlands have to be ensured. Cultivating dry-season vegetables on elevated land, investing in fisheries, livestock, and floating agriculture could also help spread the risk. Mechanised and faster harvesting technologies could also help farmers harvest crops quickly before floods arrive.

PICs for dam construction should be formed based on members’ eligibility and proximity, not political considerations. Farmers who depend directly on these embankments should have a stronger role in planning and monitoring.

Crop protection dams create some unintended consequences. Soil for embankment construction is often collected by cutting highland vegetation (locally known as kanda) within the haor, which can affect the local ecosystem. Meanwhile, suitable soil sources are becoming more and more scarce. Poorly designed embankments obstruct water’s natural flow, leading to waterlogging in some areas and increased flood pressure in others. They may also disrupt fish migration routes, affecting biodiversity and fisheries.

Research-based, long-term planning should complement infrastructure development in the haor regions. Timely construction and independent quality monitoring of dams must be ensured. Early-maturing rice varieties, crop diversification, improved forecasting, and restoration of natural drainage systems should be prioritised. Most importantly, the active involvement of local communities should be ensured through transparent governance mechanisms.

Crop protection dams are and will remain necessary. But they cannot be the only solution. Repeated failures and increasing negative impacts on haor ecology demand a broader, more integrated approach. Rethinking haor crop protection through ecological, technological, and nature-based strategies can help ensure sustainable livelihoods and long-term food security in Bangladesh’s fragile wetland ecosystem.

Kashmir Reza is president of Poribesh o Haor Unnoyon Sangstha (POHUS).​

 

[Saif]

DSCC's tree plantation programme

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has taken up a programme of planting 300,000 trees in areas under its jurisdiction in five years from now. This green initiative is not unprecedented, though. Late mayor Annisul Huq started such a programme as early as 2017. His plan was to plant 0.1million s

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

DSCC's tree plantation programme

Neil Ray

Published :
Apr 12, 2026 23:57
Updated :
Apr 12, 2026 23:57

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has taken up a programme of planting 300,000 trees in areas under its jurisdiction in five years from now. This green initiative is not unprecedented, though. Late mayor Annisul Huq started such a programme as early as 2017. His plan was to plant 0.1million saplings in the northern part of the city. His campaign for creating a "Clean City, Green City" took off smoothly. After his early death, the Annisul Huq Foundation continued the good work he started.

Yet apart from a few saplings planted on the median or median strip at Tejgaon during his time in the mayoral office, the majority of those disappeared. Any such green initiative taken earlier, however, was a grand success. The boulevard in front of the Jatiya Sangsad had several lanes where the median strips and roadsides were bedecked with lush growth of trees. Louis Kahn's architectural marvel --- that our Jatiya Sangsad building is ---is incomplete without the boulevard as designed by him. Now the barren strip like an airport's runway is incongruous with the building's architecture. At that time of stripping the boulevard of its lanes and trees, environmental concerns were no one's business. But at least the aesthetic sense should have spared the boulevard. On other roads and public or private spaces many such trees have fallen to the saws of the authorities' caprice. The mayor of the DSCC during the Awami League's last leg in power went for such a mayhem of the trees on the median of the road running between Dhanmondi 27 and Jhikatola.

Even if felling trees on city roads, parks and other spaces is not as rampant as before, the governing motive of saving the green friends is not very pressing. A few groups of green activists cry hoarse only to find their pleas falling on deaf ears. There are plenty of examples but suffice it to say that many trees in the Osmany Udyan located opposite to the administrative hub of the country could not be saved. The vested interests there got their way. One does not have to be an environmental activist to realise the importance of trees. Why temperature in the denuded city is 5.0 degree higher than in the rural areas is enough to drive home the message. Even if this fact is not enough for some people, they should feel the difference in temperature levels as they venture into the cantonment area or in the residential area of ministers and judges opposite to the Ramna Park. This is no miracle but the woodland ambience there is responsible for maintaining temperature a few degrees lower.

Clearly, if every vacant place from roadsides to khas lands to private areas nurture the growth of indigenous trees---surely not rain trees, eucalyptus and other alien trees---miracle is likely to happen. Now that the city has earned the dubious epithet of one of the top polluted urban locations on the planet, planting more and more trees has no alternative. The DSCC deserves appreciation for taking up such a massive tree planting programme.

What, however, should be remembered is that such good initiatives are taken not to finish the task in real time or if finished, the required follow-up goes missing. Saplings planted initially need intense care like regular watering and pruning. This nation is not particularly famous for maintenance. Funds should be allotted right at the beginning for the necessary care for plants until they grow to a reasonable size when they are able to fend for themselves. All roads and streets can be turned green if selected saplings including the fruit-bearing ones are planted and closely monitored with the provision for replacing the ones that fail to survive for some reasons.

The unliveable city can be turned into a liveable one if only it can be shaped green under a programme for tree plantation and protection. Both the DSCC and DNCC should strive to strike a balance between urbanisation and greening. If pursued with a sense of purpose, the campaign for a clean and green city can restore the city's liveable index. Even members of the public should be involved with the programme so that they become jealous defenders of trees and woodlands.​

 

[Saif]

Establishing a climate change and environmental justice court

Climate change is shaping the present and future of Bangladesh’s economy, society, and environment. It's not a distant threat but a daily reality affecting millions

en.prothomalo.com

Establishing a climate change and environmental justice court

With strong political commitment, adequate investment, institutional reform, and international cooperation, a climate change court can become a powerful instrument to protect people, safeguard the environment, and ensure a more just and resilient future for Bangladesh.

Shahiduzzaman
Published: 17 Apr 2026, 13: 35

Women of the coastal region are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change Prothom Alo

Climate change is no longer only an environmental concern; it is already reshaping public life, economic systems, and national development pathways in Bangladesh. Its impacts are visible in repeated natural disasters, rising financial losses, food insecurity, public health risks, and growing inequality.

The future is expected to be even more challenging, making climate governance and legal accountability far more urgent. In this context, establishing a climate change and environmental justice court is not just an emerging idea but a necessary institutional response and a demand of the time for a highly climate vulnerable country like Bangladesh.

Globally, climate change has become a complex issue of justice, human rights, and accountability. Vulnerable communities are losing livelihoods, facing forced displacement, and suffering increasing health risks due to environmental degradation.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, countries like Bangladesh contribute less than 0.5 percent of global emissions but suffer disproportionately from climate impacts. This imbalance strengthens the argument for a dedicated legal institution that can deliver justice more effectively than traditional court systems.

A climate change and environmental justice court is important and necessary because existing legal systems in Bangladesh are not fully equipped to handle the complexity of climate related disputes. Environmental cases involve scientific evidence, long term impact assessments, and cross sectoral issues such as water, land, agriculture, and industry. General courts often face delays, lack technical expertise, and struggle with enforcement. A specialized court would address these gaps by combining legal authority with scientific understanding.

The benefits of such a court for people and society are significant. First, it would improve access to justice for vulnerable communities, especially those in coastal, riverine, and disaster prone regions. These communities often suffer environmental harm but lack the legal resources to challenge powerful actors. Second, it would ensure faster and more informed judicial decisions by involving trained judges and environmental experts. Third, it would strengthen compensation mechanisms for affected communities, ensuring that victims of pollution, flooding, or industrial damage receive proper redress.

Another key benefit is stronger accountability across sectors. Industries, infrastructure projects, and sometimes public authorities contribute to environmental damage through pollution, deforestation, and unsustainable resource use. A climate court would enforce environmental laws more strictly and ensure that violators are held responsible. This is particularly important in a country where weak enforcement remains a major challenge identified in studies by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Environmental governance in Bangladesh also suffers from institutional fragmentation. Multiple agencies often work independently without strong coordination. A specialized court could act as a central accountability mechanism, improving compliance with environmental regulations and reducing illegal activities such as river encroachment, industrial pollution, and illegal land use. This would not only protect natural resources but also increase public trust in governance institutions.

The social importance of such a court is equally critical. Women, children, and marginalised populations are the most affected by climate change. Women often bear the burden of water collection, household management, and caregiving under increasingly harsh environmental conditions.

Children suffer from malnutrition, school disruption, and climate induced diseases. A climate justice court would formally recognise their rights and provide legal protection, aligning with global human rights standards supported by United Nations Environment Programme and UNDP.

At the same time, Bangladesh currently faces several limitations in addressing climate justice effectively. One major gap is the lack of specialized judicial capacity. Judges and lawyers often do not have sufficient training in climate science or environmental law. Another limitation is weak enforcement capacity, where even court decisions may not always translate into real action on the ground. In addition, limited budget allocation for environmental justice institutions restricts their effectiveness. These weaknesses highlight why government investment in institutional development, training, and digital case management systems is essential.

International experience provides strong evidence in favor of specialised environmental courts. India’s National Green Tribunal has demonstrated how a dedicated legal body can improve efficiency in handling environmental disputes. Similarly, Australia and New Zealand have integrated environmental courts that combine scientific expertise with legal processes. Within the European Union, environmental justice is supported through strong regulatory and judicial frameworks that ensure compliance and public participation.

At the global level, climate litigation is increasing rapidly. The International Court of Justice has been engaged in advisory proceedings related to climate responsibility, reflecting the growing recognition that climate change is also a legal and moral issue. These international developments show that environmental justice courts are becoming a global norm rather than an exception.

Communities must be empowered to report environmental violations and access legal remedies. Civil society organizations can play a key role in awareness building and legal support. Transparency in judicial processes will ensure credibility and public trust.
Despite these advantages, there are also risks and challenges. Institutional capacity remains a major concern, as establishing a new court requires trained professionals, technical infrastructure, and administrative resources. There is also a risk of politicization, especially when environmental cases involve powerful economic interests. Financial constraints can limit effectiveness, while overlapping jurisdiction with existing courts may create legal confusion. Finally, enforcement challenges remain a serious concern, as judicial decisions require strong administrative follow up to produce real impact.

For Bangladesh, the way forward is not only to establish such a court but to strengthen the entire ecosystem of environmental governance. The government needs to invest in judicial training, climate law education, and scientific capacity building. Universities and research institutions should be engaged in producing technical expertise. Digital case management systems and environmental data platforms can improve efficiency and transparency. International partnerships with organizations such as UNDP, UNEP, and the World Bank can provide technical and financial support.

Public participation is also essential. Communities must be empowered to report environmental violations and access legal remedies. Civil society organisations can play a key role in awareness building and legal support. Transparency in judicial processes will ensure credibility and public trust.

In conclusion, climate change is already shaping the present and future of Bangladesh’s economy, society, and environment. It is no longer a distant threat but a daily reality affecting millions of lives. Establishing a climate change and environmental justice court is therefore not only necessary but urgent. While challenges exist, the potential benefits in terms of justice, accountability, and environmental protection are far greater.

With strong political commitment, adequate investment, institutional reform, and international cooperation, such a court can become a powerful instrument to protect people, safeguard the environment, and ensure a more just and resilient future for Bangladesh.

* The author is a freelance writer​