Environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources are often observed in Bangladesh due to poverty, over-population and lack of awareness on the subject. It is manifested by deforestation, destruction of wetlands, depletion of soil nutrients, etc. Natural calamities like floods, cyclones and tidal-bores also result in severe socio-economic and environmental damage.
With a growth rate of 4.3%, the contribution of forest resources to GDP and the agriculture sector are 2.3% and 7.33% respectively. Afforestation generates employment and helps maintain environmental balance. The total forest area of the country is 2.5 million hectare, which is 17% of the total land area of Bangladesh. Out of the total forest lands, trees exist in only 45% area. A national policy has been adopted for conservation of forests and the environment. Apart from afforestation, programs include planting trees on fallow lands, alongside roads and rail lines, on flood protection embankments and the coastal belt and in educational institutions.
In recent years, the government has taken some important steps towards protection of the environment, environmentally sound use of natural resources and pollution control, Adoption of National Environment Policy and formulation of National Conservation Strategy and the National Environment Management Action Plan are some of the measures undertaken by the government to integrate environment with development in a policy framework.
To take prompt legal action agaainst environmental pollution, the government has recently set up Environment courts. The Environment Conservation Rules 1997 has also been passed by the Parliament. The Department of Environment is taking measures to carry out surveys on identification and control of polluting industries, river pollution and automobile pollution.
Water Resources
About two thirds of the cultivable land at Bangladesh are prone to flood damagc every years. Thus flood control and drainage improvement are crucial for the national economy in order to reduce or prevent damage to crops and infrastructure. Since agriculture and water resources arc linked, increasing food grain production requires water management through flood control, drainage and irrigation.
The dual problem of shortage of water during the dry season and its abundance in rainy season are critical in the development and management of water resources in Bangladesh. Being the lower riparian of the three major rivers of the world—the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna—Bangladesh could not undertake meaningful water development in the past in order to properly harness their flows for the benefit of the people.
The historic Ganges Water sharing Treaty signed with India on 12 December, 1996, has opened up newer avenues for offsetting the negative impact of Farakka Barrage and tapping the potentials of water resources in the country. Opportunities have also opened up for regional. sub-regional and basin-wide development and management of water for mutual benefit. It is in this backdrop that the Ganges Barrage has been taken up by the present government for implementation.
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