Major initiative to protect Hakaluki Haor underway

Gradual drying up of vast wetlands with infrastructural expansions in marshy lands exposes deltaic Bangladesh to immense economic and ecological losses posing a threat to sources of livelihood as well as culture, experts said in the city on Wednesday.

Speaking at a seminar to mark the 'World Wetlands Day' they also discussed the state pollution, declining trend of water level, loss of fisheries in the drying up process. They also highlighted the importance of wetlands in terms of economy and ecology in low lying countries like Bangladesh.

"We have undertaken a series of initiatives to protect the wetlands with Tanguar Haor being a major success story," State Minister for Environment and Forest Jafrul Islam Chowdhury told the seminar.

Jafrul said major initiative was underway to protect and enrich the Asia's largest Hakaluki Haor with GEF fund to safeguard the marshy lands in the coastlines.

Forum of Environmental Journalists, Bangladesh (FEJB), Department of Environment, Environment and Forest Ministry and Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) jointly organised the seminar.

Environment and Forest Secretary Dr Shoeb Ahmed was the special guest at the function chaired by director general of DOE KM Ibrahim Hossain and moderated by FEJB chairman Quamrul Islam Chowdhury.

Dr Atiq Rahman of Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies (BCAS), NH Chowdhury, Dr Mahfuzul Haque, Mohammad Reazuddin Ahmed and Moklesur Rahman also spoke.