The Sundarbans, a biodiversity hotspot, was declared a UNESCO Ramsar Site in 1992. Occupancy and pollution are wreaking havoc today.
Therefore, the government has to take necessary steps to protect all the wetlands of the country including the Sundarbans. The size of wetlands in different parts of the country, including the Sundarbans, is declining due to the persecution of dishonest officials of the administration and land robbers.
The countrymen have to stand up against such malpractices. This was stated by the speakers at a rally organized by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA), Pashur River Waterkeeper and Waterkeepers Bangladesh on the occasion of World Wetlands Day on Wednesday morning.
The convener of the Bagerhat district committee of the Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) Pashur River Waterkeeper Mohammad presided over the rally during the human chain on Wednesday.
Nur Alam Sheikh. Professor Asit Sarkar, leader of the National Committee for the Protection of Sundarbans, Syed Mizanur Rahman, Nazmul Haque, Rakes Sana, Maruf Billah, Mehedi Hasan Babu and others spoke at the rally.
During the human chain, the speakers also said that wetlands are an integral part of various fields including ecological balance, biodiversity, agriculture, fisheries and tourism. So we have to be vocal against those who are reducing the size of wetlands. The speakers called upon the concerned authorities to take steps against the degradation of wetlands and to properly preserve the ecosystem of plants and animals in wetlands.