 |
Bangladesh is nestled in the crook
of the Bay of
Bengal,
surrounded by India. It shares a border in the south-east with
Myanmar and fronts onto the Bay of Bengal. The country is flat and
dominated by the braided strands of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Jamuna
delta. Where Bangladesh ends and the sea begins is a murky zone of
shifting sediments, watercourses, flood waters and silt. Over 90%
of the country is composed of alluvial plains less than 10m above
sea level, making it an inviting proposition to flood-prone rivers
and tidal waves. The only relief from these low-lying plains occurs
in the north-east and south-east corners where modest hills rise to
an average height of around 240m (787ft) and 600m (1970ft)
respectively.
Roughly two-thirds of
Bangladeshis fertile arable land and a little over 10% remains
forested. The country is home to the Royal Bengal
tiger,leopards,
Asiatic elephants (mostly migratory herds from Bihar), and a few
remaining black bears. There are also plenty of monkeys, langurs,
gibbons (the only ape on the subcontinent), otters and mongooses.
Reptiles include the sea tortoise, mud turtle, river tortoise,
pythons, crocodiles and a variety of bloody unpleasant poisonous
snakes. There are more than 600 species of birds: the best known is
the mynah but the most spectacular are the kingfishers and fishing
eagles. The
climate of Bangladesh is subtropical and tropical with temperatures
ranging from an average daytime low of 21°C (70°F) in the cold
season to a top of 35°C (95°F) in the hot season. Bangladesh has
three main seasons: the monsoon or 'wet' season from late May to
early October; |  |
the
'cold' season from mid-October to the end of February; and the
'hot' season (known in Bangladesh as the 'little rainy season')
from mid-March to mid-May. There is also a 'cyclone season' - May
to June and October to November. International Environmental
Conventions, Treaties and Protocols
Signed,
Ratified or Accessed by Bangladesh |
Convention/Treaty/Protocol
related to environment | Date of
Adoption/
Signature | Registration,
Ratification,
Accession (a),
Succession
(d) | International Plant
Protection Convention, Rome,
1951 | | 1 September
1978 | International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by oil, London, 1954
(As amended on 11 April 1962 and 21 October
1969) | | 28 December
1981 | Plant Protection Agreement
for the South East Asia and Pacific Region (as amended) Rome,
1956 | | 4 December 1974
a | Treaty Banning Nuclear
Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere : in Outer Space and under
Water,
Moscow, 1963 | 13 March
1985 | | Treaty on Principles
Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and use of
outer space including the Moon and Other Celestial
Bodies,
London, Moscow, Washington,
1967 | | 14 January 1986
a | International Convention
Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution
Causalities, Brussels,
1969 | | 4 February
1982 | Convention on Wetlands of
International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar,
1971
(Popularly known as Ramsar
Convention) | | 20 April
1992 | International Convention
on the establishment of an international fund for compensation for
oil pollution damage (as amended) Brussels, 1971. Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of
Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons, and on Their
Destruction,
London, Moscow, Washington,
1972. | | 13 March
1985 | Convention Concerning the
Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,
Paris, 1972 | | 3 November
1983 | Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Spaces of Wild Fauna and
Flora,
Washington, 1973 (also known as
CITES) | 20 November
1981 | 18 February
1982 | Convention on Early
Notification of a Nuclear Accident, Vienna, 1986 [Entry into force:
7 February 1988] | | 7 January 1988
| Convention on Assistance
in the Case of a Nuclear Accident of Radiological
Emergency,
Vienna, 1986 [Entry into force: 7 February
88 ] | | 7 January 1988
| Agreement on the Network
of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok,
1988 | | 15 May 1990 | International Convention on Oil Pollution
Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, London,
1990 | 30 November
1990 | | | No. | Environment Related International Conventions,
Protocols and Treaties | Signed | Ratified/Accessed(AC)/
Accepted(AT)/ Adaptation (AD) | Being Ratified | | 13a. | London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol
on substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (London,
1990) | | 18.03.94 (AC)
16.06.94
(entry into force) | | | 13b. | Copenhagen Amendment to the Montreal protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Copenhagen,
1992 | | 27.11.2000 (AT)
26.2.2001
(Entry into force) | | | 13c. | Montreal Amendment of the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Montreal,
1997 | | 27.7.2001
(Accepted)
26.10.2001
(Entry into force) | | | 14. | Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident
(Vienna, 1986.) 07.01.88 (ratified) | | 07.02.88
(entry into force) | | | 15. | Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear
Accident of Radiological Emergency (Vienna, 1986.) | | 07.01.88
(ratified)
07.02.88
(entry into force) | | | 16. | Agreement on the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia
and the Pacific (Bangkok, 1988.) | | 15.05.90
(ratified) | | | 17. | Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (Basel,
1989.) | | 01.04.93 (AC) | | | 18. | International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness,
Response and Cooperation (London, 1990.) | 30.11.90 | | In the process of ratification | | 19. | United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
(New York, 1992.) | 09.06.92
| 15.04.94 | | | 20. | Convention on Biological Diversity, (Rio De
Janeiro,1992.) | 05.06.92 | 03.05.94 | | | 21. | International Convention to Combat Desertification,
(Paris 1994.) | 14.10.94 | 26.01.1996 (Ratification)
26.12.1996
(entry into force) | | | 22. | Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other
Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, (Geneva,
1976.) | | 03.10.79 (AC)
(entry into force) | | | 23. | Agreement Relating to the Implementation of Part XI of
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December
1982 (New York, 1994.) | 28.07.96 | | | | 24. | Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December
1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish
Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (New York,
1995.) | 04.12.95 | | | | 25. | Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their
Destruction (Paris, 1993.) | 14.01.93 | | | | 26. | United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in
those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, Particularly in Africa (Paris,
1994.) | 14.10.94 | 26.01.96 | | | 27. | Convention on Nuclear Safety (Vienna,
1994.) | 21.09.95 | 21.09.95 (AT) | | | 28. | Cartagena protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on
Biological Diversity | 24.5.2000 | | In the process of ratification | | 29. | Convention on persistent Organic
Pollutants, Stockholm | 23.5.2001 | | In the process of ratification | | 30. | Kyoto protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change | | 21.8.2001 (AC)
11.12.1997 (AD) | |
|
source:Ministry of Environment and Forest,
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
| Ministry of Environment and Forest
(MOEF) |
Ministry of Environment and Forest has two major
department concerning environment., Department of Environment (DOE)
and Department of Forest. Department of Environment is a technical
agency and looks after the environmental planning, management,
monitoring and enforcement of the environmental protection
measures. Recently the Department was given new extensive powers on
controlling air pollution, protecting habitats and conservation of
soil, water and other natural resources, and setting environmental
standards. It set standards on industrial and vehicular pollutants
and noise.
Major programs of the DOE are
1. Water quality monitoring at regional laboratories
2. Bangladesh Environment Management Project (BEMP) supported by
Canadian Government
3. Sustainable Environment Management Program (SEMP) supported by
UNDP and the World Bank
4. Capacity building for environmental legislation and policy
analysis under BEMP
5. Institutional strengthening of DOE under BEMP
6. River water pollution control in Dhaka city
7. Establishment of wastewater treatment plants for handloom
industries on cluster basis
8. Conversion of petrol and diesel operated vehicles into CNG,
beginning with governmental vehicles
9. Promotion of self monitoring system in export processing zone
and other major industrial areas
10. Promotion of public awareness on environmental management
11. Industrial surveys and pollution control Department of Forest
is responsible for management and development of forest resources.
It conducts forest study along with the Forest Sector Master
Plan. |
 |
| Organisations relevant to the
Environment |
| Organization | Relevant Department | Activities | Ministry of Local Government Rural
Development & Cooperatives | Department of Public Health and
Engineering (DPHE) | quality at production wells in
district centers since 1980.
Study and control of arsenic
contamination in groundwater
Sanitation facilities and the
associated hygiene education
program | | Ministry of Water Resources | | Preparation of Participatory
Water Management Guidelines
(drafted in 1999) | Bangladesh Water Development
Board (BWDB) | | Countrywide monitoring of tube
wells
Monitoring of surface water
salinity, suspended sediments
Flood forecasting and warning
Flood proofing, and disaster
management
River management | Water Resources Planning
Organization (WARPO) | | Sampling and analysis of
pesticides residues
Cyclone warning and
dissemination
Coastal protection
Urban protection
Water and Flood management
Ground water utilization
National Water Management Plan | Water and Sewerage Authority
(Dhaka, Chittagong) | | Periodic check of production
wells
Fecal pollution control
Sanitation facilities and the
associated hygiene education
program | | Ministry of Agriculture | Department of Agricultural
Extension | Groundwater development
potential assessment
Preparation of Crop Policy (1998)
Preparation of Irrigation Policy
(1998)
Preparation of National
Agriculture Extension Policy
(1997) | Bangladesh Agricultural
Development Corporation | | Fertilizers use |
 |
NGOs
Among 1,007 NGOs working in Bangladesh, 251 are related to the
environmental improvement and protection. Of
these 201 NGOs are working in rural areas, 5 in urban area and the
rest 45 is in both rural and urban area. |
a) International Centre for Diahoreal
Diseases
Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB)
| Not described | Organic work | b) International Centre for Living Aquatic
Resources Management (ICLARM)
| Not described | Wetland management program | | c) Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers
Association | Not described | Environmental Legislation | | d) Ford Foundation | Not described | National wetland policy (jointly with
IUCN) | | e) USA Fish and Wildlife | Not described | Asian Elephant conservation (Jointly with
IUCN) | | g) WWF: World Wild Fund for
Nature | Not described | Global Agenda on mangrove and tiger (jointly
with IUCN and MOEF) | | g) PRISM Bangladesh | Not described | Waste recycling | | h) Coastal Resource Development and
ManagementAssociation (CARDMA) | Not described | Coastal resource management | | i) UBINIG | Not described | Ecological agriculture | | j) Forum of Environmental
Journalism | Not described | Environmental training, workshop and
publication | | k) Society of Human and
EnvironmentalDevelopment | Not described | Environmental training, workshop and
publication | | l) Community Development Library | Not described | Environmental training, workshop and
publication
Source |
 |
| National Policy on the
Environment |
| Policy | Formulated | Purpose | Authority | Fourth Five Year Plan
(1990-95) | 1990 | 1)
Control pollution and degradation related to soil, water and
air
2) Promote environment friendly activities in the development
process
3) Preserve, protect and develop natural resources base
4) Strengthen the capabilities of public and private sectors to
manage environmental concerns as a basic requisite for
sustainable development
5)Create people’s awareness for participation in environment
promotion activities | Ministry of
Environment and Forest | National Environmental
Policy | 1992 | 1)
Maintenance of the ecological balance and overall progress
and development of the country through protection and
improvement of the environment
2) Protection of the country against natural disaster
3) Identification and control of all types activities related
to
pollution and degradation of the environment
4) Environmentally sound development in all sectors
5) Utilization of all natural resources with long-term
environmental sustainability
6) Active involvement to all environmental fields with
international initiatives | Ministry of
Environment and Forest | National Environment
Management Action Plan (NEMAP) | 1992 | The
Action Plan presents actual actions to achieve the objective
mentioned in the National Environmental Policy covering 17
fields of the environment with emphasis on the people’s
participation in the process for formulating the
plan. | Ministry of
Environment and Forest | Fifth Five Year Plan
(1997-2002) | 1997 | To
protect and preserve the environment by putting in place
adequate regulatory regimes and effective institutions, keeping
in view the need for regeneration, recycling and optimum
exploitation of natural resources consistent with sustainable
development | Ministry of
Environment and Forest |
 |
| Environmental Laws and
Regulations |
| Laws and relevant | Description | Authority | Environmental
Conservation Act of 1995 | The Environmental Conservation Act of 1995
empowered the
MOEF to formulate rules and guidelines for the management.
It also designates DOE responsible for enforcing the 1997 EIA
procedures
Air pollution, water pollution, noise | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | Environmental
Conservation Rules of 1995 | Air pollution, water pollution,
noise | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | EIA Guidelines of
Industries of 1997 | The EIA Process is categorized into four classes,
that is, green,
amber A, amber B, and red, according to the degree of
impacts | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | Environmental Pollution
Control Ordinance 1997 | including national water quality standards
according to the
WHOguidelines, air quality standards, noise, solid waste
management | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | | Factories Act 1965 | Air pollution. occupational
health | | | Motor Vehicles Act 1939 | Air pollution, noise | | | National Water Policy 1999 | Water pollution, water resources
management | | Non Agricultural
Tenancy Act 1947
| Land use | | | State Acquisition and Tenancy Act
1950 | Land use | | Acquisition f Waste
Land Act 1950 | Land use | | Town Improvement Act
1950 | Land use | | | Municipality Ordinance1977 | Land use | | Local Government
Ordinance 1982 | Land use | | Land Reforms
Ordinance 1984 | Land use | | Land Reform Board Act
1989 | Land use | | Chittagong Hill Tract
Regulation Act 1990 | Land use | | New Agricultural
Extension Policy 1997 | Toxic and hazardous substance | | | Opium Act 1978 | Toxic and hazardous substance | | Pesticide Ordinance
1971
| Amended in 1980 Solid waste
management | | Agricultural Pest
Ordinance 1962 | Solid waste management | | | Dangerous Drug Act1930 | Solid waste management | | Dangerous Drug
Control Order 1982 | Solid waste management | | Agriculture and Sanitary
Improvement Act 1920 | Solid waste management | | | Poison Act 1930 | Solid waste management | | | Explosive Substances Act 1908 | Modified in 1983 Solid waste
management | | | Explosive Act 1884 | Solid waste management | | | Municipality Ordinance 1977 | Solid waste management | | Laws and relevant
Regulation | Description | Authority | Private Forest
Ordinance 1950 | Forest conservation | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | | Forest Act 1927 | Modified in 1973
Forest conservation, biodiversity conservation, soil
conservation | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | Wildlife (Preservation)
Act 1973 | Amended 1974.
Wildlife conservation, wetland management, biodiversity
conservation | Ministry of Environment and
Forest | | Fish Policy 1998 | Water resources management, biodiversity
conservation | | Private Fisheries
Protection Act 1889 | Biodiversity conservation, | | Conservation and
Protection of Fisheries
Act 1950 | Coastal resources management, biodiversity
conservation | | Marine Fisheries
Ordinance 1983 | Coastal resources management, biodiversity
conservation,
marine pollution | | Territorial Water and
Marine Zone Act 1974 | Coastal resources management, marine
pollution | | | Mines Act 1927 | Mineral resources development and
management | | | Petroleum Act 1934 | Mineral resources development and
management | | | Antiquities Act 1986 | Cultural heritage | | Antiquities Ordinance
1986 | Cultural heritage | | | Irrigation Policy 1998 | Water resources management | | Policy for management
of closed waterbody
(Jamahal) 1990 | Water resources management | | Water Supply and
Sewerage Authority
Ordinance 1963 | Amended in 1989
Water resources management, | | Inland Shipping
Ordinance 1976 | Water resources management | | Embankment and
Drainage Act 1952 | Water resources management | | | Water Hyachith Act 1939 | Water resources management | | | IWTA Ordinance 1958 | Water resources management | | | Canals Act 1864 | Water resources management | | | Irrigation Act 1876 | Water resources management | | | Wetland Policy 1997 | Wetland management, biodiversity
conservation | | Water and Power
Development Board
1972 | Soil conservation | | | EPC Ordinance 1977 | Marine pollution | |
|
|
