Wetlands Under Pressure

“Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, yet also the most threatened.” – UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)

Credit: Nature Study Society of Bangladesh 

Since Bangladesh is mostly the delta of two large rivers, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, it is traversed by many rivers and streams. Haors are thought to be Bangladesh's most productive wetland resources. Permanent and non-permanent are the two classes. Beels within Haors refer to the permanent section of the Haors. There are roughly 373 Haors spread across the districts of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Netrakona, Kishoreganj, Sylhet, Maulvibazar, and Brahmanbaria, which is total 1.99 million hectares of land.

Haors were created as a result of peripheral faulting that caused the depression of haor areas. Because of its beauty, the Haor Region is steadily gaining popularity as a travel destination. The Haors are flooded during the monsoon season, drawing visitors from around the nation and overseas. Thousands of migratory birds flock to the Haors and Beels during the winter.

In 1999, the Bangladeshi government designated Tanguar Haor an Ecologically Critical Area due to overuse of its natural resources. Also, Hakaluki Haor was designated as an ecologically critical area by the government. It is a Ramsar protected site of international significance for wetland conservation and sustainable use.

According to Wetlands International “We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests".

Comprehensive Ecosystem Functions Provided by Wetland

In addition, Haors are regarded as Bangladesh's most fertile wetland resources. Through both commercial and subsistence fishing, they support thousands of people. The Haor Basin serves as a natural reservoir and is home to a wide range of biodiversity. Domestic livestock can graze on the luxuriant aquatic flora that grows here. The area ecology is disturbed by overfishing, habitat degradation, sedimentation in rivers, canals, and waterbodies, which disrupts fish breeding cycles.

Haors are created by nature. Their primary characteristic is the unrestricted flow of fish and water. Farmers, fishermen, and boatmen should have unrestricted mobility across the haor during the monsoon season. Sedimentation is currently one of the most important issues affecting Bangladesh's wetlands. Large volumes of silt are carried by the water that comes down from the hills of 13 upstream nations. Rivers, marshes, and haor beds are filled with approximately one billion tons of sediment that are deposited annually.

Sustaining Livelihoods Through Wetlands

These bodies of water serve the primary purpose of preventing the area from becoming drier or desertified. Haors can be made more navigable and kept that way all year round by excavating a specific amount of soil. Improving wetlands' navigability will allow for year-round fish farming, potentially resulting in a six- to seven-fold increase in revenue. As a result, the GDP would increase in size, and the amount of money flowing through society would rise significantly.

Credit: Nature Study Society of Bangladesh 

The primary sources of income for the inhabitants of the districts encircled by the haor are farming, fishing, and raising cattle and birds. The communication system has significantly raised the level of living for the people of Haor in recent years. The development of a roughly 30-kilometer all-weather road that connects the upazilas of Itna, Mithamoin, and Austagram in the centre of the haor has significantly improved the lives of those who reside there. In addition to raising their standard of living, this development has sped up the economic expansion of the area.

Road in all weather conditions

The lives of residents in the Haor region have changed significantly as a result of the Mithamoin Haor Road, also called the Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram Road. Residents of Haor, who previously had to rely on boats during the monsoon and walk during the dry season, can now travel by this road. Both local tourism and the local economy have benefited from the road. It has, meanwhile, also sparked some environmental worries.

Environmental consequences: Some experts believe that the road's construction may alter the haor's natural water flow, endangering fish habitats and having a detrimental effect on the environment as a whole. In wetland areas, all-weather road construction promotes local development and increases connectivity, but it can also alter natural water flow, endangering fish populations and aquatic habitats. It could disrupt the ecosystem's equilibrium by reducing necessary flooding or causing waterlogging.

Flood Management Concern: During the monsoon season, some road segments might block the passage of floodwater, which could make flooding worse in some places and make life more difficult for nearby communities.

Before construction started, Dr. Mohammad Khalequzzaman, an environmental scientist and specialist in water resources who is a professor at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, USA, suggested that at least 30% of the all-weather road be built as raised. The embankment is blocking surface and precipitation drainage, he noted. The drainage process is slowed down by this disturbance in water flow, which prolongs water stagnation and increases the frequency and intensity of flooding in the area.

Fish breeding areas may have been diminished as a result of the road's construction, which would have a detrimental effect on the lives of those who rely on fishing.

Unplanned road and embankment development in the haor region has interrupted fish migration paths, according to Farida Akhter, a fisheries and livestock advisor. She cautioned that infrastructure has been constructed without enough planning in the name of modernization and that haors are still being filled carelessly. Natural water flow has been impeded as a result. She underlined that although fish in the Haors are a gift from nature, people are acting incredibly irresponsible by disregarding natural breeding cycles and only acting as consumers and exploiters.

Brick Kiln Installation

Brickfields in the middle of the harbour require a lot of space to operate, which frequently results in the conversion of wetlands. The environment of the wetland may be further changed by the use of excavated area for infrastructure development, such as kilns, or for the storage of raw materials.

As well as it is also forbidden to build any establishments that pollute the environment in the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). More than a dozen brick kilns have been built in the Hakaluki Haor area despite this announcement. These illegal brick kilns are burning wood in the open while trees from the forests in the Haor region are being felled. Hakaluki Haor's forest lands and aquatic biodiversity are being threatened by this.

Already, the government issued regulations and recommendations to convert conventional brick kilns to the zigzag method, but the majority of kiln operators have disregarded these standards. Specifically, over seven years ago, the Environment Department closed brick kilns in the ESA, but this move was only mentioned in the notification. The ecology and public health in the Haor region are being negatively impacted by brick kilns.

Annihilation of Biodiversity: These kilns release garbage and smoke that contaminate the air and water, endangering human health, wildlife, and surrounding plants. The destruction of flora by brick kilns results in the loss of wildlife habitats and the disturbance of the food chain. Additionally, the existence of brick kilns is destroying biodiversity and causing damage to species.

Conversion of Farmland to Non-agricultural Use: The Haor region's residents' food security is in jeopardy due to the reduction of fertile agricultural land caused by soil excavation for brick kilns. For usage in brick kilns, dirt from the haor region's paddy fields is being dug up in Kishoreganj's Bajitpur and Nikli neighborhoods. The topsoil, which is essential for fertility, is being destroyed by the use of excavators to remove soil from these fields. Consequently, the land's production is decreasing. Additionally, neighbouring areas are collapsing and eroding because of this extraction. Even while the government periodically intervenes, the so-called "soil grabbers" quickly return to their excavator-based operations.

Influence on Well-being: Human health is negatively impacted by the brick kilns' contaminated air and water. Both employees as well as surrounding citizens may experience eye and nose irritation from the toxins released by brick kilns.

Filling of Rivers and Wetlands: The discharge of waste from brick kilns is filling rivers and wetlands, ruining fish habitats and raising the risk of flooding.

Implications for society and Economy: Brickfields may create jobs, but they may also have a detrimental effect on local livelihoods due to their deleterious effects on agriculture and health. Agriculture and fishing are two traditional livelihoods that may be impacted by the degradation of wetlands. To reduce the negative effects on the environment and society, initiatives are being made to develop cleaner and more effective brick production methods.

International Treaties and Agreements

Wetland conservation has been the subject of numerous international conferences and agreements. where a number of actions have been taken to safeguard aquatic environments and protect wetlands. Some of the most important of these are given below.

Ramsar Convention (1971): An international agreement for the preservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites is the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. Another name for it is the Wetlands Convention. The convention was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971, hence its name. There were 2,531 Ramsar sites with more than 2.6 million square kilometres on the list of wetlands of international concern in February 2025. According to Ramsar Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to three main pillars:

-       Identifying and ensuring internationally significant wetlands.

-       Encouraging the sustainable use of all wetlands on a Country’s territory

-       Collaborating with other nations to manage and conserve wetlands.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992):

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993. It has 3 main objectives - The conservation of biological diversity, The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity, The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. It emphasizes the interdependence of freshwater and marine environments and highlights the significance of biodiversity in these ecosystems for human well-being. As well as, it encourages sustainable use and restoration of wetland biodiversity.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1992): The vital function of wetlands, particularly aquatic ecosystems, in mitigating and adapting to climate change is acknowledged by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Wetlands provide resilience against climatic impacts like droughts and floods, operate as carbon sinks, and aid in the regulation of water cycles. In line with the goals of the UNFCCC, the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) offers a worldwide framework for wetland protection and sustainable use.

Restoration And Protection of Wetlands

Wetlands must be preserved to sustain human livelihoods, preserve healthy ecosystems, and protect the environment. Numerous threatened and endangered plant and animal species are among the many that they support.

Strategic Zoning and Land Use Planning for Sustainable Wetland Management: Create thorough zoning and land use plans that prioritize protecting wetlands and specify precisely where brickfields are allowed and not.

Ecological Restoration Initiatives for Degraded Wetland Ecosystems: Restoration Projects include eliminating invasive species, restoring soil and water quality, reinstating natural hydrological cycles, and re-establishing native vegetation. In addition to improving ecosystem functions like flood control and water purification, successful restoration boosts biodiversity.

Establishment of Designated Protected Areas for Wetland Conservation: To prevent more damage to vital wetland ecosystems, create protected areas and wetland reserves. Through controlled management and legal enforcement, these areas maintain the preservation of important habitats, uphold ecological integrity, and assist long-term environmental sustainability.

Long-Term Research and Monitoring Frameworks: Create long-term monitoring initiatives to monitor wetland health and evaluate the success of conservation and restoration initiatives. It ensures evidence-based conservation activities, facilitates the identification of ecological changes, and informs adaptive management techniques.

Integrated Plans for Sustainable Management: Create and carry out plans for sustainable wetland management that combine ecological factors with socioeconomic requirements.

In conclusion, Wetland conservation serves as essential for public health, economic stability, and social well-being in addition to the environment.

References:

BHWBD (2012) Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Board (Now Department of Bangladesh Haor and Wetlands Development), Master Plan of Haor Area.

Wetlands International (2025) World Wetlands Day: Protecting wetlands for our common future.

UNFCC (2018) Wetlands Disappearing Three Times Faster than Forests, https://unfccc.int/news/wetlands-disappearing-three-times-faster-than-forests

IUCN (2012) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Biodiversity of Tanguar Haor: A Ramsar Site of Bangladesh.

CBD (2020) Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Biodiversity National Assessment and Programme of Action 2020.

Ramsar, The Convention on Wetlands and its mission,  https://www.ramsar.org/about/convention-wetlands-and-its-mission

Byomkesh T, Nakagoshi N, Shahedu R M (2009), State and management of wetlands in Bangladesh, Landscape Ecol Eng. 5, 81–90

Bdnews24 (2025) https://bangla.bdnews24.com/samagrabangladesh/d3053fcac903

Haorbarta (2018) https://haorbarta24.com/archives/76467