Govt launches Tk32.6cr conservation initiative to include Halda in Unesco biosphere network

Infographics: TBS

The government has launched an initiative to bring the Halda River – the world's only natural tidal river where fertilised eggs of major carp species are collected – under Unesco's "Man and the Biosphere" Programme, aiming to strengthen biodiversity conservation and secure international recognition.

To support the effort, the Department of Environment (DoE) is implementing a Tk32.6 crore project scheduled to run from June 2024 to June 2029. Officials say Bangladesh will formally seek Halda's inclusion in Unesco's World Network of Biosphere Reserves if the initiative is successfully implemented.

The project, titled "Ecosystem-based Management for the Conservation of the Halda River and Marjat Baor", is being implemented under the broader Ecosystem-based Management in Ecologically Critical Areas and Biodiversity-rich Heritage Sites of Bangladesh programme. 

Funding is being provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing technical support.

The Man and the Biosphere Programme promotes biodiversity conservation through a balance between environmental protection and human livelihoods. Eligibility requires significant biodiversity, unique ecosystems, community participation, and opportunities for research and environmental monitoring – criteria experts say Halda largely fulfils.

Between April and June each year, rohu, catla, mrigal, kalbaush and other carp species spawn naturally in the river. A substantial share of the fish fry used in Bangladesh's carp aquaculture originates from Halda, underscoring its importance to fisheries, food security and local livelihoods.

Pollution control, livelihood support

The project includes a range of conservation measures to improve the river's ecological health and reduce pollution.

Planned activities include installing charcoal filtration systems to reduce agricultural runoff, providing sanitary wastewater facilities for around 200 households, improving irrigation for 500 farmers and creating alternative livelihood opportunities for 800 fishers. Authorities also plan to introduce online water-quality monitoring and community-based river patrols.

Muktadir Hasan, DoE assistant director in Chattogram, said Unesco had expressed interest in Halda's biodiversity conservation efforts.

"Based on that interest, the project is being implemented. Once the activities are successfully completed, Halda will be proposed for international recognition," he said.

Conservationists argue that Unesco's Man and the Biosphere Programme is better suited to the Halda River than World Heritage designation.

Monjurul Kibria, coordinator of the Halda Research Laboratory and vice-chancellor of BGC Trust University Bangladesh, said while calls for Unesco World Heritage recognition have persisted for more than two decades, the biosphere reserve model better reflects the realities of the river basin.

"The recognition of Halda as a national heritage site in 2020 and through the revised gazette in 2025 has opened the door to international recognition," he said.

Kibria noted that World Heritage status carries strict conservation requirements that may be difficult to enforce in the densely populated Halda basin.

"Such conditions are easier to implement in isolated protected areas like the Sundarbans. Halda flows through populated regions where strict restrictions could affect local livelihoods. The MAB Programme is designed to conserve biodiversity while keeping people at the centre of management," he said.

Unlike World Heritage sites, biosphere reserves seek to balance conservation with livelihoods. Experts say MAB recognition would strengthen biodiversity protection, promote research and environmental monitoring, and place Halda within a global conservation network.

The designation could also raise the river's international profile, attract scientific collaboration and increase accountability in its management.

Kibria, however, questioned whether the Tk32.6 crore project has a direct link to securing Unesco recognition, saying past initiatives had not always addressed Halda's most pressing environmental challenges.

Despite those concerns, he said MAB recognition would require decisions to follow international standards rather than individual or group interests, ultimately benefiting the river's biodiversity and heritage.

Although Halda is the project's primary focus, Marjat Baor in Jhenaidah has also been included. The country's second-largest oxbow lake will undergo dredging, water hyacinth removal, habitat restoration, water-quality monitoring and livelihood-support programmes for fishing communities.