Nature in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has no single authority responsible for all nature-related matters. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides the national framework, while the Bangladesh Forest Department manages forests, wildlife and many protected areas. The Department of Environment handles environmental regulation and Ecologically Critical Areas, or ECAs. The Department of Fisheries manages aquatic resources and fisheries. The Bangladesh National Herbarium, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, local administration and, where enforcement requires it, the Navy or Police also contribute to research, management or enforcement. The country’s main natural regions include the Sundarbans mangrove and tidal forest in the southwest, the Chattogram Hill Tracts and Sylhet hill forests, Madhupur and Barind sal forests, haor and beel wetlands, chars and newly formed river islands, floodplains, rivers and the coastal belt. Monsoon flooding, tides, sediment transport, delta formation, river erosion, land accretion and salinity intrusion continually reshape these environments. Cyclone and storm-surge exposure can affect ecosystems and access, while disaster response and evacuation belong to the separate disaster-management context. The Sundarbans Reserved Forest covers about 601,700 hectares. The UNESCO World Heritage property covers about 139,700 hectares and contains three wildlife sanctuaries. Mangrove habitat, tidal channels and the connected terrestrial, freshwater and marine areas support Royal Bengal tigers, spotted deer, estuarine crocodiles, dolphins and many waterbirds. Fishing, honey and wax collection and other forest products link conservation directly to local livelihoods. The Bangladesh Forest Department register reports 58 protected-area entries covering about 818,323.206 hectares. The register includes national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, community conservation areas, safari parks, eco-parks, botanical gardens, special biodiversity conservation areas and traditional heritage or Kunjaban sites. Bangladesh has two Ramsar sites, the Sundarbans and Tanguar Haor, and marine protected-area or marine-reserve designations include Swatch of No Ground. Boundaries and current legal status must be checked against the relevant gazette or current information from the Bangladesh Forest Department or Department of Fisheries. Wildlife protection covers species such as the Asian elephant, hoolock gibbons, fishing cat, Ganges river dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin, gharial, estuarine crocodile, marine turtles, hilsa, migratory waterbirds and vultures. A national faunal Red List assessment covered 1,619 species in 2015, while a plant Red List was published in 2024. These national categories do not automatically match global conservation categories. Habitat loss and fragmentation, overexploitation, illegal trade, pollution, invasive species, climate-related salinity changes and fishing bycatch create different risks for different species. Forest occupation, timber and non-timber forest products, hunting, capture, collection and fishing are subject to licences, protected-area rules, management plans, gazettes and national law. Relevant laws include the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012, the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995, the Ecologically Critical Area Management Rules 2016, the Bangladesh Biodiversity Act 2017, the Forest Act 1927 and the Marine Fisheries Act 2020. Hilsa sanctuaries, no-fishing periods, gear restrictions and species-specific rules can limit fishing access. Co-management committees may include the Forest Department, ethnic communities and local residents, but participation does not automatically create land or resource ownership rights. Entry fees, boat permits, guide requirements, seasonal closures, permitted equipment and collection restrictions differ by site. The Bangladesh Forest Department publishes site-specific ticket and royalty information, but some tariff pages may be outdated, so current fees, permit channels, processing times and opening conditions require verification before travel or commercial activity. Nature-based recreation includes wildlife observation, forest trails, boat visits to the Sundarbans, eco-parks and botanical gardens. Visitor safety requires attention to tides, currents, boats, heat, dehydration, remote access and encounters with tigers, elephants, crocodiles or snakes. Major conflicts include forest encroachment, land conversion, illegal logging and wildlife trade, shrimp aquaculture affecting mangroves and wetlands, fishing pressure and bycatch, ship traffic, noise, pollution, infrastructure and energy projects, tourism pressure and human-wildlife conflict. Training and research are available through the Forest Academy, Forest Science and Technology Institutes, the Bangladesh National Herbarium, universities and the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute. The appropriate contact and procedure depend on the site, species, permit, protected-area designation and specific dispute.