STATUS AND STRATEGIES FOR

WETLAND MANAGMENT IN

BANGLADESH

GROUP NO: 03

STUDENT ID: 120546, 110505, 110507, 110514, 110523,110524,110544

Wetlands

“Areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial,

permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh,

brackish or salt, including areas marine water the depth of which at

low tides does not exceed six meters”

More than two thirds of the country's landmass may be classified as

wetlands according to this definition given by Ramsar Convention

(IUCN,2005)

Wetlands of Bangladesh

The total area of wetland in Bangladesh

has been estimated to be 7-8 million

hectares which is nearly 50% of the

countries landmass.

But Chowdhury et al (1996) showed

that, total wetland of Bangladesh cover

about 11% of the total area which is

16,000 square km.

Classification of wetlands in Bangladesh

Saltwater Wetlands Freshwater Wetlands Manmade Wetlands

Area Covered by Different Wetlands in Bangladesh

Open waters Area ( in ha)

Rivers 479,735

Estuaries and mangrove swamps 51,828

Beels and haors 114,161Floodplains 5,486,609

Kaptai lake 68,800

Closed water

Ponds 1,46,890

Baors ( oxbow lakes) 5,488

Brackish water farms 108,000

Importance of wetlands in Bangladesh

Wetland Beneficiaryvillages

Beneficiary population

Pagnar and Sanuar Dakuar Haor

42 28000

Hakaluki haor 30 35000

Padma-Jamuna Floodplain 43 35000

Madhumati Floodplain 31 30500

Brahmaputra Shitalakshya Floodplain

21 23000

Ecological Importance

• Wetlands act as water purifier as it traps and filters the water that moves through it.

• Slows down surface runoff.

• Reduce flooding and siltation of rivers.

• Reduce the action of toxic chemicals by neutralizing them.

• Help replenish underground water reservoirs.

• Habitat for plants and animals, migratory and resident water fowls & the significant

endangered species.

Economic importance: Firewood,

Thatching material

Medicinal plants

Livestock fodder

Food source for humans and so on.

CROP CULTIVATIONRice, jute, wheat, potato, cucumber,

watermelon, tobacco etc.

WETLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

94% open water, 6% closed water

Types No. of species

Fish species 226

Water fowl species 125

Amphibian species 6

Reptile species 48

Total bird species 174

Aquatic mammals 12

ECOLOGICALLY CRITICAL AREAS OF

BANGLADESH

Sl.No. Name of Wetland District

1.Strip of 10 km. outside the

Sundarbans Reserved Forest

Khulna, Bagerhat,

Satkhira

2.Sea Front of Cox’s bazar and

TeknafCox’s Bazar

3. St martin’s Island Cox’s Bazar

4. Sonadia Island Cox’s Bazar

5. Hakaluki Haor Moulvibazar

6. Tanguar Haor Sunamganj

7. Marjat Baor Jhenaidaha

8. Gulshan Lake Dhaka city

CAUSES OF DEGRADATION

Biological alteration

Chemical alteration

Physical Destruction

and degradation

Overharvesting of trees

Chemical use

Illegal hunting of wild life

Alien animals

Population expansion

Mismanagement of wildlife

STRATEGIES FOR WETLAND

MANAGEMENT IN BANGLADESH

Government Institutes (Departments)

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB)

Department of Environment

Department of Fisheries etc.

NGOs

Center for Natural Resource Studies CBOs

Bangladesh POUSH

Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies

BRAC

NACOM

CFSD

IUCN

Practical Action

INITIATIVES TAKEN BY GOVT. OF BANGLADESH

Set up Ministry of Environment and Forest (1989)

Formation of National Conservation Strategy

National Environment Policy (1992)

Became signatory of Ramsar Convention (1992)

National Environment Management Action Plan (1995)

Environmental protection act (1995)

Sustainable environment management program (1996)

National Water Policy

Maintaining the aquatic environment and facilitating drainage.

Water extraction will not hampered other aquatic characteristics.

Taken up integrated management for fish production and

recreational value and natural water bodies will be developed.

1. Community Based Haor & Floodplain Resource

Management (CBHFRM)

Awareness

Campaign

Community Based

Organizations

Skill Development

Renewable

Energy Options

Promotion of

Ecotourism

Community Groups

Conservation of

threatened wildlife

Empowerment

Environment

Fund

2. MACH (Management of Aquatic Ecosystems

through Community Husbandry)

A Project of Government of Bangladesh

supported by USAID

Building Community Resource Management

Institutions

Empowering and enabling the poor

Participation of women

Best practices to ensure good governance

Sustainability

3. Community Based Fisheries Management

(CBFM)

Prime objectives of CBFM

To ease the growing fishing pressure and stop

fishing during the breeding season, usually for a

three-month period – April to June each year.

To establish fish sanctuaries where no fishing is

allowed

Sanctuaries are demarcated with red flags,

accompanied by a signboard declaring that fishing

is completely banned in the sanctuary.

164 fish sanctuaries covering over 90 hectares of

water area have been established in 81 water

bodies.

4. Costal and wetland Biodiversity Management

Project (CWBMP)

Has been implanted since 2006 In the Ecological

Critical Areas, viz., Sonadia Island, St. Martin’s

Island and Teknaf Peninsula and in Hakaluki

Haor.

Object of the project is sustainable management

of natural resource through community groups.

Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) were declared

under the 1995 Environmental Conservation Act

(1995).

5. Participatory Action Plan Development

Consensus of

Solutions

End product of

PAPD is a

consensual

community action

plan

Analysis of

Solutions

Problem Cluster

and Prioritization

Problem Census

After a PAPD,

communities develop

a more detailed action

plan, which will be

implemented through

existing or newly

formed local

community

institutions.

The ECA notification identifies the following

activities as prohibited

Felling or extracting of trees and forest

Hunting and poaching of wild animals

Catching or collection of snail, coral, turtle and other wild

animals

Establishment of industries that may pollute soil, water, air

and/or create noise pollution

Any activity that is likely to threaten the habitat of flora

and fauna

Any activity that is likely to cause harm to fish and other

aquatic life

Recommendations

Prohibit wetland conversion by law

Restore and rehabilitate the degraded wetlands

Bring all significant wetlands under sustainable

management program

Limit hunting & fishing to such an extent that

breeding & spawning of various species is not

hindered

Carry out Environmental Impact Assessment before

initiating any engineering project

THANK YOUf o r y o u r k i n d a t t e n t i o n