1. Forest Conservation
Dr Mahfuzul Haque

2. Types of forests Mangrove Forests (the Sundarbans)
Tropical Rain Forests (CHT)
Dissiduous Forests (Sal ban in Madhupur)

3. Forestry Plans and policies
Forestry Policy 1994
Forestry Master Plan ( )

4. Forest legislation The Forest Act, 1927
Brick Burning (Control) Act, 1989
Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 puts a ban on hunting, killing or capturing of “game animal”; damage or destroy any vegetation in a wildlife sanctuary, cause any fire, pollute water through the sanctuary etc.
Rules to Regulate Hunting, Shooting and Fishing within the Controlled and Vested Forests, 1959

5. Wildlife preservation
Clause 23 of Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 made provisions for declaring an area as
a) Wildlife Sanctuary
b) National Park
c) Game Reserve
for protection of biodiversity and wildlife of the area.

6. Legal provisions
In a Wildlife Sanctuary, no person can enter or reside, cultivate, damage or destroy, hunt, kill or capture, introduce exotic species or domestic animal, cause fire or pollute the water.
In a National Park no person can hunt, kill, capture wild life, cause fire or pollute the waters
In a Game Reserve, hunting and shooting of wild animals under a special permit is allowed.

7. Wildlife Sanctuary Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary
Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary
Char Kukri-Mukri Wildlife Sanctuary
Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary

8. National Park Modhupur National Park Bhawal National Park
Himchhari National Park
Lawachhara National Park
Ramsagar National Park
Kaptai National Park
Nijhoom Dwip National Park
Medha Kachopia National Park

9. Game reserve
Teknaf Game Reserve, Cox’s Bazar

10. Botanical Gardens National Botanical Garden, Dhaka
Baldha Garden, Dhaka
Botanical Garden and Eco-Park, Sitakund, Chittagong

11. Eco-Parks Madhab Kundu Eco-Park Muraichhara Eco-Park
Gazani Abokash Kendro Eco-Park
Modhutila Eco-Park
Banshkhali Eco-Park

12. Safari park
Dulahazra Safari Park on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway has been providing education and recreation to visitors.

13. Nishorgo Project Five pilot projects of Nishorgo:
Remakalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Habiganj
Satchhari National Park, Habiganj
Lawachhara National Park, Moulavi bazar
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary, Chittagong
Teknaf Game Reserve, Cox’s Bazar

14. Debate over how to conserve the forest
The Forest Act, 1927 and Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 treat everybody as “encroachers”.
However, there is no “PA Management Plan” in place
Nishorgo Program for Protected Area (PA) Management, forest dwellers and local stakeholders are treated as “co-managers” of the PA with the FD.

15. Challenges Ahead
What should be the components of the Forest policy for a forest-poor country like Bangladesh?
Who will conserve the forests?
What about the forest dwellers?
What about the indigenous peoples living in the forests?
Political commitment?

16. THANK YOU