Left: Tangua Haor. Right: Fish harvest from the Haor.

Sylhet Division, in general, is marked for its variance in the nature, topography and geography with resource rich and spectacular sites. Sunamganj -- a remote district of Sylhet Division, is circumscribed by low, somewhere high and somewhere serpentile hills on northern and eastern boundaries of the country which conspicuously brand this region as a district of distinct and panoramic view. Sunamganj is specially featured for the panoramic, fantastic and divine wetland commonly and popularly known as “Tangua Haor” widely and commonly extolled and admired for its rich cultural background, sophisticated flora and fauna, unique bio-diversity, extra-ordinary ecological system.
So far from collected reliable statistics, it is found that the Tangua (wetland) consists of 51 water bodies stretching 11 kilometers in length and 7 kilometers in width. This unique wetland puts on varying and diversified flare, color, flavor and look in various seasons starting from winter to summer to monsoon throughout the year.
At the outset of the diminishing environmental ecology, government of Bangladesh declared this wetland as 'Ecologically Critical Area' on 19th April, 1999 in harmony with which it was later declared as the second RAMSAR site -- a sanctuary for avies and fishes -- by UNESCO on 20th January, 2000. The District Administration, meanwhile, took initiative to select a veteran investor in line with the MoU signed between Ministry of Land and Ministry of Environment and Forest. At the same time, being cognizant of these two consecutive declarations, a group of dynamic people including experts, consultants, zealots and reformers rushed to the spot on various occasions with innovative ideas, plans and initiatives to protect the topography, ecology and the environment of this wetland.
A mammoth task has so far been done in conjunction and collaboration with District Administration, CNRS- a sister concern of IUCN, the think-tanks of the society and the local representatives, the local people and other stakeholders. This tripartite or quadratic partnership brought about qualitative and quantitative changes in maintaining the ecosystem of this wetland. At the advent of this unique effort and endeavor, the number of reed forests and many other aquatic plants burgeoned considerably along with Hijol-koroch trees which are the outstanding feature of this wetland.
Once a lucrative business of those who were awarded lease was the trade off with the migratory birds hovering over this wetland from Siberian terrain. A professional hunter was given permission and set at liberty to hunt as many birds as possible a day just merely by purchasing a ticket worth 5/10 thousand taka. This malpractice was approved by the lesser on the ground that these birds cause colossal damage to the standing crops but experience shows that these birds never feed on the crops at all rather they feed on the seeds of reed trees, algae, small fishes, oysters, shells and pests. Thus, later a complete ban imposed on this trade added another dimension in the protection of birds, an important element of the ecosystem consisting of bird-fish-plant.
The writer, while working there (as UNO) was also an active participant in and an enthusiastic facilitator and a dedicated patron of those reform procedures and action plans and interacted effectively with numerous visiting ornithologists, environmentalists and foreign consultants.
While providing assistance and cooperation to those change-agents, the writer extensively studied various reports and research papers prepared by them and constructively and critically evaluated their works whenever he was sought to support in the capacity of local administrator. While evaluating and critically appreciating the works of those policy makers, managerial and reform bodies and the local intelligentsia, the writer noticed that they have undergone an ample painstaking endeavour to turn the wetland (Haor) into a centrifugal force of all livelihood activities of the inhabitants surrounding it obviously with a view to protecting the flora, fauna and the bio-diversity of Tangua.
With that end in view, they have suggested various ways and means of income generating activities concerning the Haor for its sustainable development and effective management while completely maintaining the ecosystem and bio-diversity of the region. Considering those facts and circumstances, research reports and verbal suggestions on many occasions by the reformers, the writer has come up with the following suggestions for sustainable development of this wetland:
Suggestions
* The provision for sufficient funding for the demarcation work is crucial for the overall development of this wetland. Demarcation is always a critical and controversial issue for the conservation of this wetland and hence Revenue Department of the District Administration needs to be empowered and allocated with adequate resources to accelerate this process. The existing strength of the surveyors and other revenue staffs is not at all at optimum to perform this heavy task.
* A successful demarcation program would also help to properly determine Monsoon Zone, No-Fishing Zone and Sustainable-Use Zone.
* Before publication of the mauza map and other detail plan of this wetland, the ground work would take a considerable time which also needs to be fixed up before the demarcation process. These issues need to be carefully addressed by both government and development partners.
* Since Tangua would ultimately emerge as the centrifugal force of all activities, the welfare and well being of the surrounding community need to be emphasized with topmost priority. The various reform procedures and action plans prepared by IUCN are undoubtedly replete with various innovative ideas for the overall development but somehow the education and training plan for the local stakeholders is missing. It is noteworthy that for any reform initiative, the sensitization part is of utmost significance where education and training are vital.
* Health clinics or centres at proper clusters need to be installed so that they can serve for the well-being of the community people. Commuters face the biggest hurdle and hassle in these remote and inaccessible regions during urgency. This important provision might be dealt with utmost consideration.
* Besides heath, sanitation needs to be ensured throughout the locality as this is an important element for their well-being. Health clinics without sanitation facility can hardly serve the purpose of the community.
* Magistrates and law enforcing agencies may be supported with special emoluments or Haor allowances in appreciation of their unique and risky services provided for the community and wetland.
* Development of tourism sites in most suitable places need to be determined with the arrangement of supporting and facilitating components.
* A sustainable, attractive and tourist-friendly infrastructure need to be installed, and maintained which can consequently result in spinning huge amount of money for the government exchequer. The revenue earned through this means can considerably compensate the huge expenses incurred on the maintenance of this wetland by the government.
* Some more innovative steps or way out for the alternate income generating activities for the community people may be incorporated from time to time.
Conclusion
Tangua wetland is undoubtedly a blessing for Bangladesh. It can serve as a rich laboratory for environmentalists, ornithologists and ecologists while yielding a rare opportunity of representation in terms of world class ecosystem and bio-diversity. This wetland is the gnomic home for multi-dimensional aquatic creatures, avies and the flora and the fauna. The tripartite or sometimes quadratic partnership currently in operation for the overall development and management of this wetland has profusely contributed to bring about a paradigm shift in its whole process of development. However, one comes up with the notion that less importance has been laid on the public consciousness and sensitization about the endangered sites of Tangua, its flora and fauna and the aquatic life. The importance of sensitizing people need to be highly stressed so that Tangua wetland can be timely and rightly protected as well as effectively maintained and managed for the welfare of the common mass eventually its principal stakeholders.
Strategies in this regard need to be catered in a way that this wetland evolves as the epicentre of all sorts of livelihood and amusement while serving as a unique tourist-spot. All activities need to be performed in the best possible way without hampering the present physical structure of the site or distorting its existing ecology. It needs motivation, training, sensitization, effort and interest of the local people surrounding the Tangua wetland.
The writer, a Senior Assistant Secretary to the government, is now working as Deputy Director at Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre.