Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday assured local and international partners that the government remains sensitized to its obligations and responsibilities for environmental and ecological protection, and have been advancing towards fulfilling those obligations in a coordinated, decisive and phased manner.
"We believe it is imperative to place ecology at the fulcrum of national, regional and global policies to combat growing threats to the world’s food, water and survival systems," he said.
Momen said Bangladesh’s commitment to ecology and biodiversity protection has remained a constant in their State policy despite its resource constraints and high population density.
The Foreign Minister was speaking at a policy dialogue on ‘Equity and Co-management of Baikka Beel Permanent Wetland Sanctuary’ facilitated by International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCD).
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The Foreign Minister said USAID funded Protibesh programme has been critical in promoting community-based management of the Baikka Beel, with support from the concerned government entities.
It appears that there are some procedural issues concerning Baikka Beel’s management, which perhaps need to be placed in the right context, he said.
"Be that as it may, the preservation and management experience with Baikka Beel is certainly an educational one for other ecologically critical areas in the country."
Momen said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had enacted the Wildlife Preservation Order as early as in 1973.
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Following his lead, he said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government inserted Article 18A in our Constitution, which stipulates, “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to preserve and safeguard natural resources, biodiversity, wetlands, forests and wild life for the present and future citizens.”
The Foreign Minister said they cannot achieve their goals in a month or a year, but through their sustained and focused efforts, they can indeed reach their desired objectives.
"Bangladesh, as a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, remains committed to the conservation of our designated wetlands," he said.
Two Ramsar sites, the Sundarbans and Tanguar Haor, have emerged as popular tourist destinations with growing public awareness about respecting their ecological fragilities.
Hakaluki Haor, a biodiversity hotspot, awaits declaration as our third Ramsar site.
"There should perhaps be similar consideration and initiatives with Baikka Beel in the broader context of the Hail Haor," he said.
Momen said they need to approach the issue of preserving these wetlands from the long-term perspective of Prime Minister’s legacy of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100.
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Speaking of wetlands, Baikka Beel permanent wetland sanctuary serves as a critical habitat for diverse flora and fauna, including several endangered species, in the larger Sylhet region, he said.
"However, I understand that the existing infrastructure in Baikka Beel is inadequate to support a secure and sustainable nature tourism venture," Momen said.
"It is essential that we invest in improving the infrastructure and developing facilities that cater to the needs of eco-conscious tourists," he mentioned.
Simultaneously, Momen said, they must enhance the capacity of the local management bodies by formulating a long-term strategy, creating promotional materials, and providing training to eco-tour guides.
He underlined the government’s unequivocal commitment to promoting nature-based solutions for preserving ecologically critical and protected areas.
"As we strive to preserve the biodiversity of Baikka Beel, let us remember our responsibility to our future generations and thus unite in our efforts to forge a path towards a sustainable future for this invaluable wetland sanctuary," he said.