DHAKA, Mar 18, 2021 (BSS) – The government has decided to declare the Halda River, the country’s sole natural carp breeding ground, as a biodiversity heritage named “Bangabandhu Biodiversity-Rich Heritage Halda”.
The decision was taken at the first meeting of the National Committee on Biodiversity held at the conference room of the Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ministry here today.
Chaired by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin, the meeting was attended, among others, by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Ziaul Hasan, Additional Secretary (Environmental Pollution Control) of the ministry Md Moniruzzaman, Director General of the Department of Environment (DoE) Dr AKM Rafique Ahammed and Chief Conservator of Forest Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury.
Speaking at the meeting, Shahab Uddin said the National Biodiversity Committee, constituted under the Bangladesh Biodiversity Act 2017, will provide advice in identifying and declaring the biodiversity-rich areas and giving regular instructions in managing the declared areas.
As a result of today’s decision, he said, necessary steps will be taken to facilitate the breeding of carp fish, dolphin conservation, pollution control and overall biodiversity conservation in the Halda River.
The environment minister said the government is responsible for the conservation and development of biodiversity as per the Article 18 A of the country’s Constitution.
In addition, he said, as a party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the government is internationally committed to biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of its components, the fair and equitable distribution of benefits derived from biodiversity and related knowledge.