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PF/3144/COMMANDANTS PAPER

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FOR BANGLADESH

IN THE NEXT DECADE AND BEYOND
INTRODUCTION
1.
UN conference on Human Environment held in 1972 in Stockholm
opened up the eyes of world leaders about caring for the fragile
environment to protect the interests of the future generation beyond 2000.
Further break through occurred after the establishment of World
Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) by the UN General
Assembly in 1983.
2.
The environmental challenge is in the topmost agendum of almost all
the nations of the world. Despite good progress in economic development
over the past generation more than one billion people still live in acute
poverty and suffer grossly from inadequate access to the resources
education, health services, infrastructure, land and credit..... 1 Beside many
other factors environmental degradation is a major hurdle for the socioeconomic uplift to these ill-fated one billion people. Such impact of
environmental degradation on mankind has questioned whether the earth
where we live in is safe enough for the future or not. Detail study and
vigorous experiments are in progress to identify environmental problems,
demand immediate attention. The values of the issue have so far been
neglected. Now it is the question of survival for the world in general and for
countries like Bangladesh in particular for many valid reasons.
3.
Bangladesh with a land area of 147,570 sq km and estimated
population of 124 million (1998), is one of the most crowded countries on
the earth. There are many natural hazards and man made disaster which
cause tremendous sufferings to people particularly the poor who are
landless or posses little land. Almost 80% of the total population are directly
or indirectly related with agriculture. And agriculture is a subject, which has
close linkage with environment. Again rest of the population are engaged in
daily struggle for means of livelihood in her low-level socio-economic and
unstable political condition. To the eyes of the outside world natural
calamities, poverty, famine, lack of industrialization, poor education system
are very common phenomenon for Bangladesh. But what is least known to
them about the country is the secret of survival of its people and their
struggle for retaining resource bases threatened by global changes mostly
caused by the so called first world.
4.
The hypothesis of this paper is to identify the major challenges to
encounter environmental degradation. The government of Bangladesh faces
1

World Development Report-1992, Oxford University Press, USA, 1993, P. iii.

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difficulties in meeting the basic human needs, which the meager resources
can not support. It is a colossal task for the government of guaranteeing the
fundamental rights, allow people to breathe in open air, ensure pure
drinking water and the benefit of biological diversity. So there is a need to
integrate environmental and developmental decision making processes.
Governments effort to conduct a national review and where appropriate,
improve the processes of decision making so as to achieve the progressive
integration of economic, social and environmental issues in the pursuit of
development. Such development must be economically efficient, socially
equitable and responsible and environmentally sound.2
5.
The central focus of this paper is on the vulnerability of Bangladesh to
environmental debacle in the next decade and beyond. The paper highlights
the state of environment, causes and consequences of environmental
degradation in Bangladesh followed by possible responses. In addition, steps
taken by Bangladesh to meet the challenge to be discussed. Finally, out of
the analysis and research some recommendations will be forwarded.
AIM
6.
The aim of this paper is to study the present and future environmental
challenges for Bangladesh.
CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE
7.
The concept of environmental challenge was perceived when the
world leaders agreed for a global meeting to device integrated strategies
that would stop and reverse the negative impact of environmental
degradation to the earth. The Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
from 3 to 14 June 1992 gave scope to world leaders of 178 nations to
formulate number of principles with a view to reaffirming the declaration of
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment adopted at
Stockholm in 1972. The Rio Declaration addressed the pressing
environmental problems of today and also aims at preparing the world for
the challenge of the next century.
8.
Environment of a particular place is an aggregate of the geosphere
and biosphere obtaining in that place and, hence, the state of environment
is a function of the quantitative and qualitative of a number of variable
indicators of the geosphere and biosphere pertaining to that place. 3 These
indicators include land, air and water system with both living and nonliving
elements. Other than human being all living elements are considered as
natural resources. Man exploits these resources that stored in the nature as
source of food, raw materials and energy. But like any other system no stock
2

.
Earth Summit- Agenda 21, The UN Department of Public Information, i992, P.66.
.
Bangladesh Towards 21st Century, Edited by Mohiuddin Ahmed, Community Development Library,
Dhaka, 1999, P. 127.
3

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of source is inexhaustible. However, these may be renewable, recyclable
and reproducible to fulfill mans requirement in the process of utilization.
9.
The reformation of the natural resources is important for the stability
of the nature. Otherwise, environmental imbalance will cause serious
hazards in the reformation cycle. Unfortunately this very phenomenon did
not receive due attention so long. So while describing the future challenges
for the environment one cannot deny the reality of degradation that has
been caused to the nature for that matter sliming down the unlimited
resources of the earth. It is horrifying to note that by the turn of the century
the present 60 million m3 of the forest area in Himalayan region is
threatened to be denuded leaving a little less than two million m3 of the
forest for the wealth for the 21st century.4 So in every walks of life and for
every human society, the problem of environmental deterioration is
becoming a challenge to the existence of the earth itself. It is a fact that too
many people are using too many resources, too wastefully, resulting in rapid
degradation of the environment.
CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
10. The environmental problems that countries face vary with their stage
of development, the structure of their economies, and their environmental
policies. From Bangladesh point of view environmental problem is a subject
of great concern because of the reason that the country is frequently
defined by poverty, resource scarcity, over population, corruption and
natural calamities.
11. Population and Poverty. Bangladesh is densely populated and
significantly large section of its population are poverty stricken.
The
population growth is going to rise upto the density of 17000 people per
square kilometer by the year 2050. This will lead to a massive disruption of
traditional land and resource management system. The nature is already
charged excessively to meet the demand of huge population for their
livelihood causing an ecological imbalance to the nature. There is a
relationship between poverty and environment stresses; the poor are forced
to address short-term needs, even if their actions contribute to the long
term depletion and degradation of the resources. And the poor are often the
most vulnerable and least able to cope with environmental changes and the
impacts of national disasters and hazards.5
12. Economic Growth.
Economic growth of a country at times exerts
pressure on the environment. Under present productivity trend and
projected population increase, world output by 2030 would be 3 to 5 times
what it is today. If environmental pollution and degradation continue to
4

.
Environmental Challenge, Edited By C K Varshney and D R Sardesai (Homi J H Taeyarkhan: The Value
of Environment) Willey Eastern Limited, New Delhi, 1993, P. 1.
5
.
Environment and Development in Bangladesh, Edited by Rahman, Haider, Huq and Jansen, Vo l1,
University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1994, P. 31.

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increase in step with such a rise in output, the result would be appalling
environmental pollution and damage. Bangladesh is no exception to it. For
an example, the leather sector has good contribution in countrys economy,
but cause serious health hazards due to its improper waste disposal
arrangement. Every year Bangladesh earns huge foreign currency by
importing shrimp. But it is a fact that the land required for shrimp cultivation
has curtailed sufficient land for other agricultural products, grazing land for
domestic animals, vegetation, etc. So, the profitable shrimp sector is also
responsible for apparently unseen ecological imbalance to the coastal areas.
13. Industrialization. Although Bangladesh predominantly is an agrarian
country, significant number of large scale industries based on both
indigenous and imported raw materials have been set up. Because of the
desperate economic condition a massive industrialization is expected in the
near future. At present many of the existing industries are generating toxic
elements in both gaseous and solid form. These chemical and biodegradable
organic wastes pollute air and water, placing extra load on the environment.
The Department of Environment (DOE) has identified 450 polluting industrial
units only in Dhaka division.6 Distribution of those is in table 1.
Serial
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Industry
Tannery
Pulp and Paper
Sugar
Textile
Fertilizer
Pesticides
Chemical
Medicine
Food
Engineering

Number of Unit
183
4
4
129
3
13
32
32
13
38

Table 1: Distribution of Polluting Industries of Dhaka Division

14. Urbanization.
Urbanization is normally related to the regional
development, but the situation in Bangladesh is different. The rapid but
unplanned growth of city area is the result of huge migration of unemployed
rural people to the larger cities. This causes scarcity of housing land,
drainage problem for excessive production of domestic sewage and other
municipal wastes, traffic congestion etc in the urban area. Rapid
urbanization also shrinks down cultivable land of the country.
15. Deforestation
. According to a recent estimate, total forestland in
Bangladesh is about 2.6 million hectares or 18 percent of the land surface of
the country. Over the past 50 years nearly 50% of the forest area had been
6

.
Environment: Facing the 21st Century, Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD), 1999,
P. 174.

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deforested. Condition of the Sunderbans, world largest mangrove is also
deteriorating. Traditional sal forest has now become history..... in Tangail
District alone the sal forest has shrunk to 1000 hectare in 1990 from 20000
in 1970.7 The deforestation also took place in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
(CHT) due to different development works. Over population, widespread
poverty, migration of landless people in the forest areas, jum cultivation,
and inappropriate and illegal exploitation of forest resources are the causes
for deforestation.
16. Desertification. Due to the diversion of the Ganges water there has
been a change in hydrology in Bangladesh causing decreased soil moisture
and salinity leading to desertification. The process of desertification in the
northern part of the country has already started. As a result, the experts
apprehend more than 1.2 crore acres of cultivated area in as many as 21
southwestern and northern districts of the country may turn into vast
expanse of desolate arid land.8 In the Barind Tract, where much of the forest
area has been destroyed, rapid runoff occurs after monsoon, and since soils
are unable to replenish the water table, there is increasing sign of
desertification.9
17. Pollution. Pollution shall mean the direct or indirect introduction as a
result of human activity, of substances, vibration, heat or noise into the air,
water or land which may be harmful to human health or the quality of the
environment.10
a.
Air Pollution. The range and sources of air pollutants are almost
limitless. In Bangladesh the major sources of air pollution has been
identified as the particulate and gaseous matter released by the
burning of fossil fuel, such as coal, petroleum etc. Urban air quality in
general is inferior compared to that of rural areas and air quality of the
metropolitan cities is worsening than secondary towns. The pollution
caused by the industries in and around Dhaka is given in table 2.11
Serial

1.
2.
3.
7

.
.
9
.
8

10

.
.

11

Location

Hazaribagh
Tannery Area.
Tejgaon
Industrial Area
DhakaNarayanganj

Number
of
Industrie
s
151

Effluent
M3 /day

Pollution(BOD5
) Load kg/day

13000

19000

61

3000

4500

53

3500

5000

Ibid, P. 74.
Nahid Islam, Environmental Challenges to Bangladesh, BIISS Papers-13, 1 July 1991, P. 24.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, op. cit, P. 130.
Andrew Farmer, Managing Environmental Pollution, By Routledge, New York.1997, P. 3.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, op. cit, P.154.

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6.

Industrial Area
Tongi Industrial
Area
Shitalakhsha
Industrial Area.
Scattered

7.

Total

4.
5.

29

5000

10000

30

5500

9000

1000

1500

328

31000

49000

Table 2: Pollution Load from Industries in and around Dhaka

b.
Water Pollution. More than 900 industrial plants are located
along major waterways, discharging untreated particulate, liquid and
solid wastes. One of the most serious sources of water pollution is the
leather tanning industry. Most of the 220 leather factories of the
country are situated in the Hazaribagh area of Dhaka City next to the
Buriganga River.12 Pesticide pollution is increasing and will become a
major problem in near future. The use of pesticides and other
chemicals in the upstream area will have highly cumulative effects in
the downstream, especially in coastal estuaries.
c.
Noise Pollution. Environment can be polluted by high-pitched
sounds also. Human ear is habituated to 50 to 60 decibels sound.
Generally, the sound of mike explosion, running mills and vehicles,
electricity-producing generators, high-speed aircraft etc can hurt our
auditory power. WHO has recommended limiting noise level to 45
decibels in city areas, 85% decibels in industrial areas. At present
noise level in Dhaka City is above 60 and in some areas 90 decibels. 13
18. Marine Pollution. Bangladesh is exposed to a long 710 km of coast
with the Bay of Bengal. But our sea area is being polluted for different
reasons. Ship breaking industries in the coastal areas polluting the sea and
adjacent land area by discharging liquefied petroleum gas and oxygen, large
amount of fuel and other oily substances and huge amount of dust and rust
into the sea. It is also reported that every year around 6,000 tons of crude
oil from spills and 240,000 gallons of bilge water are dumped into the port
harbors by the ships.14 There is also evidence that toxic wastes are being
dumped in Bangladesh Sea territories secretly by foreign ships adding
further threat to marine environment.
19. Polythene Pollution. Widespread use of polythene bags and plastic
containers has become another threat to environment and health. The
12

.
.
14
.
13

Ibid, P. 133.
Titu Datta Gupta, Pollution Unabated Despite 178 Laws, The Independent, May 14, 1997.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, op. cit, P. 137.

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plastic and polythene materials are non-degradable articles and remain
intact for years together. Nearly 5.5 million used polythene shopping bags
are tossed away only in Dhaka city everyday. These bags are ultimately
deposited in the streets, drains and sewage lines and in the canals. Polybags
affect the natural growth of plants when it is deposited in the soil. It can
cause skin diseases and even cancer in the long run.
MAJOR FEATURES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
20. Depletion of Land Resources. The total area of Bangladesh is
approximately 147,000 sq. km of which 138,000 sq. km comprise of the land
surface and 9500 sq. km cover rivers and other inland water bodies. 15 With
rapid population growth rate of 2.1%, the per capita share of land and basic
natural resources has gone down to a very lower scale. So the average
nations cultivable land is shrinking. Riverbank erosion along with deposition
of sandy materials on agricultural land and salinity also cause devastating
land degradation in Bangladesh. Hill cutting and brickfields are also reasons
for soil degradation. The distribution of the total land surface as per different
forms of land use is given in Table 3.
Area
Serial
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.
7.

Land use category

Agriculture
State Forest
a. Classified
b. Unclassified
Private Forest
a. Village
b. Tea/Rubber
Garden
Urban
Water
Other
Total

Million(hactor)
9.25

Percentage
64.2

1.49
0.73

10.3
5.1

0.27
0.07

1.9
0.5

1.16
0.94
0.84
14.75

8.1
6.5
3.5
100.0

Table 3: Bangladesh Land Area Classification

21. Biological Diversity.
Biological diversity - a composite of generic
information, species, and ecosystems provide material wealth in the form
of food, fiber, medicine, and inputs into industrial processes. 16 Biological
resources constitute capital asset for yielding sustainable benefits for
mankind. Human interventions have adversely affected and irreversibly
changed the nature. Bangladesh have diverse biological resources from time
immemorial. The variety of species and their genetic contents in the wild
lands of Bangladesh are of direct human benefit in terms of environment.
15

.
.

16

Ibid, P. 128.
Agenda 21, op. cit, P. 59.

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The loss of natural habitants due to human interventions led to extinction of
species, erosion in genes and degradation of ecosystem.
22. Natural Disaster. Bangladesh is a disaster prone country. Flood is one
of the major natural calamities that have become a perennial feature in
Bangladesh due to its geographical location. Though flood contributes in
recharging the underground aquifers and filling up other water bodies. But
the devastating flood in 1988 and 1998 caused enormous miseries and
damage to the people and their properties. Another calamity is drought,
caused due to lack of water to meet the demand of various plants for
satisfactory growth. This result into a considerable hydrological imbalance,
waters shortage, crops damage, stream flow reduction, and depletion of
ground water and soil moisture. Cyclones are another form of disaster. The
last major storm surge occurred in Bangladesh in April 1991, left more than
138,000 dead in its wake. In recent history the majority of global fatalities
from surge events occurred in the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal and
adjoining the Andaman Sea.17
23. Arsenic Threat. Bangladesh has swiftly become one of the most
poisoned lands in the world as a result of arsenic contamination of ground
water. The probable cause lies in the arsenic derivation from the reductive
dissolution of arsenic-rich iron oxihydroxides, which in turn are derived from
weathering of base-metal sulphides. 18 Hand tubewells that once were sunk
to provide safe drinking water to 95% of the population of the country area
has turned into a source of poison for the whole nation and an
environmental catastrophe with no foreseeable solution. As of today arsenic
contamination has been detected in most of the areas of Southeast
Bangladesh (excluding Chittagong and CHT), parts of Northeast and
Northwest of the country.
24. Global Warning. The earths climate is driven by solar radiation. In
the long term the energy absorbed from the sun must be balanced by out
going radiation from the earth and the atmosphere. To maintain the global
energy balances both the atmosphere and the surface will worm until the
outgoing energy equals the incoming energy. This is the greenhouse effect. 19
Climatic change caused by the emission of greenhouse gases has been
identified as the most serious issue for global concern. The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) provided an estimate in its
findings on climate change in 1990 saying that the world will become 3.3 0C
warmer by the end of the next century. 20 Bangladeshs contribution to the
emission of greenhouse gas is very negligible. But the hard reality is that
without being a cause, Bangladesh is identified by the UNEP as one of the
ten countries, most vulnerable to global warming.
17

.
P.6
18
.
19
.
20
.

Ahmed Nilufar and Rashed, Resources, Environment and Development of Bangladesh, BUP Dhaka, 1994,
Stijn Hoorens, Thinking Rationally on Arsenic Mitigation, The Daily Star, October 8, 1999.
Development and Environment, op. cit, P. 61.
SEHD, op. cit, P. 280.

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25. Ozone Depletion. Ozone depletion is mainly the result of increasing

atmospheric concentration of chlorine originating from chloroflurocarbons
(CFC). The emission of CFC causes intrusion of very harmful ultraviolet
radiation (UV) to the earth. Excessive emission of CFC largely produced by
the industries of developed countries has created Ozone hole in the
atmosphere. So there is an urgent need to phase out CFC before it causes
irreversible damage to the living being of the earth.
26. Degradation of Soil. Soil resources are under colossal threat from
degraded environmental conditions. According to an UNESCO report (1978),
higher soil temperature increases the rate of mineralization of organic
matter, impairs the stability of soil crumb structure making the soil easily
erodable.21 Erosion of upper layer of soil by monsoon rain is causing infertile
soil to come over the surface. Excessive use of chemical fertilizer and
pesticides has reduced level of organic matter of the soil. Lack of waste
management system also causes soil degradation. Some preliminary studies
show that approximately 3.91 million tons of solid wastes per year have
been produced without a comprehensive waste disposal programme. The
following data shows composition of waste products in percentage:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Household waste
77.0%
Industrial waste
20.0%
Construction and demolition waste 2.8%
Clinical waste
0.2%
FUTURE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

27. Change in Climate/Weather. Significant climatic change may occur in

Bangladesh for greenhouse effect. By 2030, the monsoon rainfall will
increase and will reduce the chance of drought. On the other hand, this
would increase flood frequency. Riverbank and soil erosion, destruction of
the regional bio-diversity and severe landslides will occur due to the climatic
change. Due to global warming a considerable rise of sea level will allow
saline water to engulf coastal regions, affecting the largest mangrove patch
of the world. A recent study by the Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies
(BCAS) has identified the following major impacts of a one-meter sea level
rise (SLR):
a.
Population Displacement. Only the coastal effects of a onemeter SLR will displace over 11% of the population (more than 13
million people).
b.
Area Inundation. More than 17.5% of the total land area (over
25,000 sq. km) will be totally inundated.

21

C K Varshney & D R Sardesai, op. cit, P. 65.

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c.
Existing Infrastructure Affected. Some 85 cities and towns, one
major port (Mangla), over 800 km of roads, 28 km of railways, 4,200
km of coastal embankments, and over 7,500 sq. km of polder areas
will be invaded.
d.
Coastal Island Threaten. Many coastal islands covering an area
3,500 sq. km will be inundated. These islands are already vulnerable
to cyclones, which will increase due to global warming.
e.
Agricultural Production Loss.
Over 3 million acres of
breadbasket land consisting of 21% of the countrys monsoon rice
land, producing 16% of the country rice, will be lost due to inundation.
f.
Coastal Shrimp Production. A one-meter SLR destroys the
aquatic resources to a great extent.22
28. Effects on Bio-diversity. Different types of environmental degradation
i.e. air and water pollution, soil degradation and deforestation will affect the
divergent and huge biological resources. For example, the use of chemical
fertilizer and pesticides in High Yield Variety (HYV) rice cultivation, the
traditional species of fishes those are the habitants of rice field have almost
disappeared. The bias towards HYV rice increases agro-chemical use
including both fertilizers and pesticides.23 According to a recent estimate
(1994) of Bangladesh National Herbarium, 37 plant species of Bangladesh
are endangered/threatened. This figure was 27 till 1990. 24 Table 4 depicts
the approximate numbers of reported vertebrate species and the number of
species threatened or extinct.
Seria
l

Class

1.
2.
3.
4.

Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibiou
s
Total

5.

Number
of
Species
125
579
124
19

Number
of
Extinct
or
Possible Extinct
10
4
1
0

Number
Threatene
d
11
13
9
0

847

15

33

Table 4: Approximate Number of Vertebrate Species and Species Threatened

29. Effects on Economy. Environmental degradation has negative impact
on economy of Bangladesh. Rapid industrial and agricultural development is
a must to upgrade the deplorable condition of economy. Again such speedy
industrialization has been responsible for multi-dimensional environmental
hazards. Environmental damages such as soil erosion, loss of biological
22

.
.
24
.
23

Rahman, Haider, Huq and Jansen, op. cit, P .108-109.

National Environment Management Action Plan, Volume ll: Main Report, MOEF, 1998, P.19.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, op. cit, P. 130.

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diversity, increased UV radiation through ozone depletion, SLR, flood,
desertification etc lead to loss of productivity and deterioration of life
support system. For example, according to an estimate of the UN Disaster
Management Team, (issued on 4 September, 1998) the total production loss
of paddy increased upto 2 million metric ton or more because of large
number of farmer did not go for aman cultivation due to prolonged period of
flood. Thus a large number of farmers would not receive income from that
production season which may result in serious economic loss and poverty. 25
30. Effect on Health. Most of the cases environmental degradation has
direct effect on human health. Although poverty is the underlying cause of
health problem of Bangladesh, it is a fact that poor environment and health
system significantly contributes to the poverty and vice versa. Arsenic
poisoning of ground water, water pollution, air pollution etc has become
matter of great concern. Especially access to safe drinking water is going to
be a major health problem in the next decade. Inhaling excess polluted air
mainly causes disease like asthma and bronchitis that will increase
alarmingly. According to a survey conducted in 1992 by the Chest Disease
Institute in Dhaka, there were 5 million asthma and several hundred
thousand bronchial patients in the country. The infant mortality rate in
Bangladesh is already highest in the world due to different air and water
borne diseases. The health situation is likely to aggravate more with future
degradation of environment.
31. Threat to Security.
Environmental degradation in land, water, air
and forest coupled with all its social effects in terms of poverty, economic
declination, decreased agricultural production, displacement and migration
of people become an issue of intra-state or inter-state conflicts. When the
conflicts are addressed by resorting to force the very purpose or cause of
halting the slide in environment is lost.26 Unless the quality of the human
environment is protected and harvesting of renewable natural resources is
carried out on a sustainable basis regional environmental security of
Bangladesh is likely to be hampered. For example, flow of refugees and
migration of people across the borders have been issues between India and
Bangladesh for a long time. Bodoland and ULFA movements in Assam owe
their origins to group identity sharpened over the migrants issue. 27 Such
violence in Assam has already affected Indo-Bangladesh relation and likely
to aggravate more on predicted loss of land due to SLR should compel
millions to migrate across the border.
32. Threat to the Society. A sound habitant, a fundamental requirement
for human being, is still a far cry for the people of Bangladesh. About 78% of
its population live in rural areas with the deprivation of almost all kinds of
25

.
Reza Ahmed, Prolonged Flood, Forces the Government to Reassess Food Deficit, The Daily Star,
September 10, 1998.
26
.
Narottam Gaan, Comprehensive Security for South Asia: An Environmental Approach, BIISS, Volume
20, Number 2, 1999, P. 103.
27
.
Ibid, P.112.

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social facilities. On the other hand, according to a survey conducted by
Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Planning Commission of Bangladesh,
61.3% of the urban population in Bangladesh fall below the absolute poverty
line while 40.2% fall below the hard core poverty line. 28 So, the majority of
the populations especially women and children, victims of economic and
social suppression. Their miseries are often multiplied by various
environmental hazards, consequential to their sub standard livelihood. It is
well perceived that the future threat of degraded environment will give rise
to several social crises.
FACING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE
Institutional Setup
33. Like other developing countries, environmental degradation in
Bangladesh until very recently was regarded as an issue of the developed
countries alone. This attitude has changed considerably and there is
recognition of the urgency of environmental problems. In its early stage to
fight environment pollution the government of Bangladesh created an
environmental cell in 1977 and in the same year legislated Environmental
Pollution Control Act 1977. In view of the importance of environment as a
multi-disciplinary subject, and to provide a single oversight ministry
covering all the environmental issues, the government created the Ministry
of Environment and Forest (MOEF) in 1989. MOEF as the permanent member
of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), plays
an important role in undertaking various initiatives for the protection of
environment. Department of Environment (DOE) is working as a technical
wing of the ministry and simultaneously responsible for environmental
development.
Various Steps Taken by the Government
34. National Environment Management Action Plan (NEMAP). NEMAP is an
environmental planning exercise initiated by the government through MOEF
following the commitments made under Agenda 21 at UNCED in Rio de
Janeiro in June 1992. NEMAP has involved a peoples consultation process
where people would have an opportunity to define their environment,
identify the issues, prioritizes problems and gives solutions. As
environmental issues encompass all sectors of the economy, multidisciplinary approaches therefore, needed for the formulation of policies and
implementation of programme related to environmental issues. NEMAP
conducted its exercises between 1992-1995 and presented its suggestions
basing on which government has already formulated chapter-X (Environment
and Sustainable Development) of the Fifth Five Year Plan. Although policy
and programming frameworks provide a basis for addressing fundamental
issues of environmental management and protection in Bangladesh,
institutional capacity for implementing various action measures remains
28

SEHD, op. cit, P. 250.

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very weak. However, NEMAP has proposed an institutional arrangement
(given at annex A) for its implementation. Main issues emerging out of the
overall analysis and subsequent synthesis are summarized in annex B.
NEMAP is expected to identify key environmental problems. Since these may
change over a period of time, NEMAP will have to evolve in response to the
changes. At present four major projects have been undertaken by the
government to address issues identified by NEMAP.29 These are as follows:
a.
Sustainable Environment
financed by UNDP.

Management

Programme

(SEMP),

b.
Bangladesh Environment
financed by CERDAP.

Management

Programme

(BEMP)

c.

Air Quality Monitor Project (AQMP), financed by World Bank.

d.
National Conservation Strategy (NCS) financed by NORAD and
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
35. Sustainable Environment Management Programme (SEMP). SEMP
envisages interventions in different sectors of the countrys economy in
order to bring about an improvement in the countrys deteriorating
environmental situation and to improve simultaneously the financial base of
the poor particularly the rural people.30 A sustainable environment
management and human development is essential to bring about a break
through in the poverty situation of the society. The 5 year (1998-2002)
Technical Assistance Programme of about US$26.45 million is being
executed by MOEF as a part of SEMP.
36. Forest Policy. The Forestry Master Plan financed by Asian Development
Bank (ADB), completed in 1993 led to the formulation of the new forestry
policy for Bangladesh. The new policy framework will promote commercial
oriented forestry. But this may impose threat to the environment. However,
the new policy should mainly focus on reforestation without degrading
cultivated land. Besides, the Fifth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) has laid down
some objectives like expansion and rehabilitation of forest resources,
conserve and protect eco-system for biodivesity, achieve meaningful
participation of local people, NGOs and government agencies, and
encourage private plantation.31
37. Environmental Laws. The constitution of Bangladesh asserts that it
shall be a fundamental responsibility of the state to attain, ..... A steady
improvement in the material and cultural standard of living of the people
(Article-15). It is a reality that the environmental protection measures are
29

.
This paragraph is the gist of the interview wuth Dr. Mahfuzul Hauq, Programme Coordinator, SEMP,
MOEF.
30
.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, op. cit, P. 146.
31
.
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1997-2002), Ministry of Planning, Dhaka, 1998, P. 264.

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not enough to ensure such fundamental right. The Environmental Pollution
Ordinance 1977 was not adequate in every respect to provide a full proof
legal support. So a new act was adopted replacing this ordinance, The
Environmental Conservation Act 1995 came into being to empower
adequate authority to concerned agencies. But the new law is unable to give
direction for natural resources management such as forestry, water crisis
management and coastal ecosystem.32 A new bill is likely to be placed
before the National Parliament namely, Environmental Court Bill with the
inclusion of some new acts and modifications of some existing laws. The
major provision the bill is likely to include is to establish Paribesh Adalat at
every district.
Objectives and Strategies of the Government
38. Objectives. In order to promote nature and expand natural resources
the government has set up following objectives:
a.
Promoting appropriate environment management system for
sustainable development.
b.
Ensuring conservation of bio-diversity and its sustainable
utilisation.
c.
Ensuring active participation of the poor, especially the women,
in environment management activities.
d.
Promoting environment friendly activities in development
programmes/ projects.
e.
Minimising environmental pollution from different industries.
f.
Monitoring and controlling present environmental pollution and
degradation related to soil, water and air.
g.
Fulfilling obligations under international treaties and conventions
for minimising adverse impact on global environment.
h.
Promoting co-operation with regional and international
institutions/ organisations to address global environmental problems.
j.
Undertaking research and development for innovating
technology, in national perspective and application of modern
technology information
exchange and benefit sharing with other countries.

32

.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Bangladesh Environment News Letter, Volume.
5, No. 4, Dhaka, 1994.

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k.
Creating public awareness in order to participate in environment
promotion activities.33
39. Policy and Strategy.
The government will undertake a number of
policies and strategies during the Fifth Five Year Plan to attain the above
objectives. Some important policies and strategies are stated below:
a.
National Environment Council headed by the Prime Minister and
Executive Committee of National Environment Council headed by the
Minister for Environment and Forest will be more active for policy
designs and programme directives.
b.
Environment Committees at division, district and thana levels
with peoples participation will be strengthened; attempts will be
made to form this committee in union parishad also.
c.
Department of Environment will be strengthened in the light of
existing Environment Policy, Laws and Action Plan in order to coordinate, monitor and implement these activities.
d.
Drafting of rules, regulations and guidelines under the
Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1995 will be finalised soon in order
to ensure effective enforcement of EPA.
e.
Polluters Pay Principal will be followed in order to ensure strict
compliance of environmental legislation.
f.
Incentives in the form of tax-rebate, tax-holiday, etc. will be
provided and incremental cost incurred by the environment-friendly
entrepreneurs will be met in various forms and multiple sources. 34
Weaknesses of National Measures
40. Political Commitment. No national policy can be implemented unless
a general consensus is brought in among the political groups. In politics,
accumulation of power is always the major factor and is placed above
everything at any cost by most of the political parties. For example,
unplanned urbanisation, unhygienic condition of slum dwellers,
encroachment of the Buriganga river etc though are directly causing
environmental degradation, but are facing opposition from political leaders
while attempting its rectification. It is expected that political parties would
show their concern on major environmental issues. But unfortunately,
inclusion of environmental issues in political agenda is yet to be practiced in
our country.
41. Insensibility of the Bureaucracy.
In Bangladesh we have inherited
colonial and desk oriented bureaucracy, which has always been apathetic to
33

.
.

34

The Fifth Year Plan, op. cit, P. 268.

Ibid, P. 268.

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the problems of general people. Though enough reform programmes have
been undertaken, but major break through is yet to be made in our
bureaucratic culture. Corruption almost at all fields of government
mechanism has made the issue more difficult. So, whatever positive policies,
the government tries to implement in environment sector, it encounters
toughest bureaucratic hurdles to cross.
42. Public Awareness and Education.
Literacy rate of Bangladesh
is very low where adult literacy rate is only 33%. Again percentage of
illiterate people is more in rural area. But low literacy rate does not
necessarily mean low level of awareness among the rural people. Rather,
they are traditionally environment-friendly in the sense that they are still
away from the adverse conditions created in the industrialist society. So lack
of social awareness among literate people and to some extent limited
environment education is making people unfriendly to the environment.
43. Lack of Experiment.
No experiment on environment can be
exhaustive. But due to resource constraint and lack of infrastructure setup
experiment of such nature both at government and private sector is
hampered. For example, Environmental Quality Measure Indicators (EQI) are
recognized to be very useful tools measuring the state of environment of a
country. But EQIs are variable and needs to be reset periodically. So constant
altering and developing of methodologies to determine new EQIs is must in
measuring environmental performance. Again lack of coordination among
different agencies working on environment is a major weakness for speedy
implementation of different projects. This also lead to the duplication of
effort to a single issue causing misuse of resources, which are already very
meager for the country.
CONCLUSIONS
44. It is no denying fact that the worlds environment is threatened and
shockingly human being is mostly responsible for that. The burden of
environmental degradation befalls more on the third world countries though
the liability mostly lies with the developed countries. Because of the fact
that country like Bangladesh that seats at the back-bench in terms of
economy and technology is largely dependents on the nature for their
livelihood. Any imbalance in the nature disrupts the extraction of resource
facilities for the survival of the people. So, instead of socio-economic
development ensuring of physical survival has become more challenging for
the country. (Paragraphs 7-9)
45. Bangladesh is one of the least developed country with a low resource
base and a burgeoning population. As a result of over-exploitation of the
nature, the resource base is under serious threat. Economic emancipation
for the ever-growing population is the principal objective of any country, but
it at times exerts pressure on the environment. Industries in the country
increasingly producing biodegradable and heavy metal toxic wastes, thus
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serious environmental problems are engulfing this densely populated
country. Rapid urban growth causes in popping up number of environmental
problem due to loss of agricultural land and lack of essential urban facilities
such as garbage disposal, traffic disposal, emission of smoke, poor housing,
slums etc. Forest resources are also declining due to environmental
degradation, causing ecological imbalance and various natural calamities.
Deforestation also causes different species and wild life to reduce in number.
Desertification is another cause that has serious effect on the environment
through soil degradation. Air pollution caused by lead in gasoline and other
hazardous gases emitted by numerous industries have serious effect both
on nature and living elements in the country. (Paragraph 10-19)
46. Major features of environment like depletion and degradation of land
resources has caused the loss of huge land area. So number of landless
people are increasing every year with the increase of population. It also
reduces agricultural growth rate with the decrease of cultivable land.
Countrys very reach bio-diversity with high levels of endemic species is
already under heavy threat of extinction due to human inventions. We are
going to be one of the worst victims of Global Warming due to greenhouse
effect and the consequential sea level rise. Though manufacturing of ozone
depleting substances by Bangladesh is very negligible, but likely to suffer
the maximum from its adverse effect. As a whole the country is heading for
a future where environmental degradation is going to be a great threat to
the nation. (Paragraphs 20-26)
47. Bangladesh is at dismay due to its precarious environmental situation.
Rapid population growth, agricultural stagnation and environmental
degradation are mutually reinforcing. When over population has exerted
pressure to resource management system, an ecological imbalance has
occurred to quicken the environmental degradation process. The effect on
bio-diversity will be too severe to threaten the existence of the worlds
largest mangroves at Sunderbans. Environmental degradation will have
negative impacts on economy of Bangladesh. Especially agricultural
productivity level will considerably fall down forcing a large number of
farmers without any job. Effect on health is the most direct on human
resources. Developing poor sanitation system and ensuring safe drinking
water will be a colossal task to meet up future requirement for predicted
population boom. In many occasions environmental degradation in land, air
and water coupled with its social effects in terms of poverty, economic
declination, decreased agricultural production, and displacement and
migration of people become an issue to deteriorate relationship with
neighboring country. Due to environmental degradation vis--vis numerous
other factors a sound habitant is still a far cry for the people Bangladesh.
(Paragraphs 27-32)
48. Integrating environment in all development activities and achieving
environmentally sound development planning has emerged as the greatest
challenge to Bangladesh. Creation of MOEF and declaring it as the
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permanent member of ECNEC, is a timely decision of the government that
plays a vital role in undertaking various initiatives for the protection of
environment. Government has also introduced NEMAP to identify the key
environmental issues and actions required reducing the rate of
environmental degradation. Various programmes and projects being
implemented under NEMAP are essential to the sustainable development
and environmental protection of the natural and human resources. As good
as 185 statutory laws and many by-laws are the primary source of
environmental legislation in Bangladesh. Proposal for new laws and review
of existing ones is done in regular basis to meet multi-dimensional
environmental issues both by the government and NGOs. The Government
has drawn up her objectives; policies and strategies in light of the report
prepared by NEMAP and included it for the implementation in the Fifth Five
Year Plan (1997-2002). (Paragraphs 33-39)
49. Bangladesh government and different NGOs has responded to the high
sounding chorus of international groups on environmental issues. However,
the country is yet to breakthrough in adequately addressing the
environmental predicaments that she faces. Beside the major factors of
resource constraints and inadequate infrastructure support; commitment of
countrys major political groups, apathy of the bureaucracy, lack of
coordination among the governmental and non-governmental agencies and
lack of social awareness and limited education on environment are the
remarkable weaknesses of governments efforts. Different study shows that
the effect of environmental degradation will be more dreadful than that of
nuclear warfare in next millenium. If the environmental mistakes of the past
are not rectified and get it going unchallenged, then the next generation will
definitely get a shamble world, unsafe for human leaving. So the policy for
environmental protection has to be persuade collectively by different
societies and, at the same time, every individual has to participate and act
wisely to promote environmental improvement. (Paragraphs 40-43)
RECOMMENDATIONS
46. Several measures are being under taken by both government and
various NGOs to address the environmental issue. While studying the
subject few aspects have been identified that needs to be taken care off and
are forwarded as recommendation:
a.
Ensuring the integration of economic, social and environmental
considerations in decision making at all level and in all ministers. So
the government should activate National Environment Council headed
by Prime Minister.
b.
Migration of rural people to urban area must be discouraged.
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in cooperation
with other ministries and NGOs should take adequate measure in

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creating job opportunity, enhancing social facilities, developing
communication and promoting public awareness in rural area.
c.
Erection of effluent treatment plant in tannery industries.
Specific step also to be taken to relocate tannery industries from
densely populated area. MOEF and Ministry of Industry should take
immediate step to address the issue.
d.
Ministry of Agriculture should introducing ecological farming,
which is based on the principal of diverse and mixed cropping system.
Since ecological farming is natural process it will help in recovering
fertility of the soil for using green manure instead of chemical
fertilizer.
f.
Few important governmental decisions i.e. embargo on hill
cutting, restriction on import of two-stroke autorickshaw, should be in
acted with immediate effect. Restriction on polybags production
should be re-imposed by the government. Ministry of Home Affairs and
Ministry of Law and Justice should ensure adherence of regulations
and implementation of laws related to environment protection.
(Total words: 6890)

MIrpur
November 1999

MUHAMMAD ASHRAFUL QUADER

Major
Student Officer

Annexes:
A.

Proposed Institutional Arrangement for Implementation of NEMAP.

B.

Schematic Representation of Main Issues of NEMAP.

Distribution:
Commandant
Defence Services Command and Staff College

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
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1.
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and

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An

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15. Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook 1998, World
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19. Interview with Dr. Mahfuzul Haque, Programme Coordinator, SEMP,
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