Opinion By Md Zillur Rahaman TODAY is World Earth Day. The day is celebrated worldwide each year to show support for the protection of the environment. It was first observed in 1970 and is now held globally by the Earth Day Network. The UN-sponsored conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 3 to June 14, ... Read more
biodiversity
Conservation, a serious need for country’s biodiversity
At least 28 species of indigenous fish have gone extinct and five out of 650 bird species in the country have disappeared in the recent past due to environment pollution and human encroachment. The department of fisheries also identified 28 extinct species of indigenous fish. Of the remaining 260 fish varieties, 10 per cent are ... Read more
Balanced tiger, deer population ratio underscored
A US academician working on economic biodiversity at a programme here on Thursday underscored the need for maintaining balanced ratio between tiger and deer populations in the Sundarbans in a bid to avoid tiger-human conflict. “In the Indian part of the Sundarbans, tigers are not in want of foods as they find enough deer there. ... Read more
Evaluating services of forest
Biodiversity contributes considerably to economy and environment Dr. M. A. BASHAR In developing countries, the necessity of publicising services of forests is severely lacking. This sector must be given attention with special emphasis. The country like Bangladesh has to be very serious in all respects to understand and exercise the services offered by the forests. We ... Read more
Greens call for protecting biodiversity
Rights and green activists on Monday alleged that two of the country’s main crops — rice and favourite vegetable brinjal — had fallen prey to the multi-national companies because of introduction of seeds of African NERICA rice and Bt brinjal. They made the allegation at a discussion on ` African NERICA rice and Bt brinjal ... Read more
World living beyond its resources, summit off-track: WWF
Biodiversity has decreased by an average of 28 per cent globally since 1970 and the world would have to be 50 per cent bigger to have enough land and forests to provide for current levels of consumption and carbon emissions, conservation group WWF said on Tuesday. Unless the world addresses the problem, by 2030 even ... Read more
Save Sonadia, save Sundarbans
Sourav Mahmud Sonadia Island is one of the biodiversity hotspot of Bangladesh. In 1995, the Government of Bangladesh included a provision for the declaration of Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) in the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act. Twelve sites are classified as ECAs and guidelines exist to control further damage to these areas. Sonadia is considered ecologically ... Read more
Poor porcupine
Trapped, killed on CU campus Locals trapped and killed a porcupine on the Chittagong University (CU) campus yesterday. Mohammad Jinnah, aged around 45, at about 4:00pm trapped the porcupine from a bush in CU, said witnesses. Tying it up with rope, Jinnah was crossing the building for the faculty of arts and humanities when the ... Read more
Biodiversity issue glossed over
Dhaka, Delhi signed 2 deals on Sundarbans, tiger; refrained from addressing rising salinity in Bangladesh rivers None of the two agreements signed between Bangladesh and India on conservation of the Sundarbans and Royal Bengal Tigers addresses the issue of increasing salinity that continues to affect the biodiversity of the mangrove forest on Bangladesh side. Salinity ... Read more
Honey collection and biodiversity loss in mangrove ecosystem
Dr. M.A. Bashar for The Independent In Sundarbans ecosystem, honey and wax production is a major seasonal activity employing some 2000 honey collectors known as ‘mowallis’ and producing about 200 tonnes of honey and about 50 tonnes of bee wax which constitutes about 50 per cent of the total production in Bangladesh. So far information is ... Read more
Managing biodiversity to slow down climate change
DR. M.A. BASHAR Adaptation is the habitual process of adjustment to a new or changing environment. These changes of environment could be negative or positive to the survivals in an ecosystem. Adaptive capability is the ability of a system to adjust to climate change to moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to ... Read more
Call to conserve water bodies
World Wetlands Day Call to conserve water bodies Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday urged the government to take effective measures to conserve wetlands to protect environment and biodiversity. They stressed on the need to build national consensus to preserve and conserve wetlands according to Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty to maintain ecological
Govt urged to promote Sundarbans tourism
Patronisation of both government and the forest department is needed for development of tourism industry in the Sundarbans, said speakers at a discussion yesterday. The meeting organised by Bengal Tours on roles of the local media in development of positive tourism in the Sundarbans was held in Khulna yesterday. Masud Hossain,