Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter on Saturday called for an end to the leasing system in the country’s haor (wetland) areas, saying no haor should be leased out, as these water bodies belong to the local communities and their rights must be protected.

“A discriminatory system has long been maintained centring the haors. About 29 per cent of the people in haor regions still live below the poverty line,” she said at a discussion titled ‘Government Jolmohal Management Policy 2009: Inequality and Mismanagement in the Haor Region’ held at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

Farida said different ministries currently control various haors, with most areas placed under the jurisdiction of the land ministry, which only focuses on collecting revenue through leasing out the water bodies.

Citing an example of mismanagement, she said an ‘all-weather road’ built in Mithamain of Kishoreganj has already caused significant damage to the surrounding environment.

The fisheries adviser also expressed concerns over illegal fishing methods, saying, “We have already banned current nets for fishing, but now a new type called ‘China-duari’ is being used. These must also be prohibited.”

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She stressed the importance of declaring certain haor areas as sanctuaries to help protect endangered fish species. “Biological management will be a key step towards saving the haors,” she added.

Presided over by Rasheda K Choudhury, convener of Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra (DHORA), the event was also addressed by Agriculture Secretary Dr Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, and former secretary and ex-chairman of the National River Conservation Commission Dr Mujibur Rahman Howlader.