The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) has drafted a policy brief after reviewing existing policies, plans, and laws formulated by the government to protect forests, with a particular focus on the recovery and conservation of all forestlands in the country, including coastal forests.
The main objective of the proposed reform is to restore forest coverage in the country through legal restructuring and the implementation of sustainable forest management.
The draft was discussed during a workshop jointly organized in the capital on Monday by BELA and Community Development Centre (CODEC) under the "Blue Economy and Inclusive Development for Climate Justice" project, with the support of Oxfam Bangladesh, CODEC, and Breaking the Silence (BTS).
Government officials, legal experts, environmentalists, academics, and representatives from coastal regions were present at the event and shared valuable recommendations and insights on forest recovery and conservation.
The chief guest at the workshop was Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, additional secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Shafiullah stated: “This is undoubtedly a commendable initiative, where both presenters have effectively integrated their policies and technical tools. With the SDSS tool, forest management can be brought to a more accurate and innovative level. However, it is crucial that legal reform be incorporated into this tool. Amendments must be made to the existing laws and regulations to ensure technological alignment.”
He further added: “Through legal amendments, this tool can be developed into an effective monitoring and control platform that plays a vital role in preventing illegal human activities causing forest destruction, thereby making forest conservation stronger, more focused, and technology-driven.”
During the workshop, Oxfam Bangladesh’s Climate and Geospatial Analyst Muhammad Esmat Enan gave a presentation on the Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS), a spatial analysis toolkit that uses advanced GeoAI technology to aid in effective spatial analysis and decision-making down to the union level.
The tool offers enhanced solutions for government bodies, planners, researchers, and policymakers in managing land, conserving the environment, and monitoring forest resources.
The presentation also emphasized the importance of high-quality localized data from relevant government departments.
Oxfam Bangladesh’s climate policy expert SM Saifi Iqbal noted: “The primary cause of coastal deforestation is human-induced activities such as unregulated tree felling and shrimp farming. As a result, mangrove forests are being lost at a rate of 1% per year. Strategic partnerships and co-management can prevent this destruction.”
BELA’s Chief Executive Taslima Islam said: “Although Article 18A of the Constitution mandates the protection of biodiversity and forests, land use and forest destruction are not assessed during project planning. For example, in Cox’s Bazar, 720,000 trees and 26 hills were cut down to construct a railway line.”
She added: “The Forest Act of 1927 does not have a clear definition of ‘forest,’ nor does it provide specific directives regarding the responsibilities of the Forest Ministry. Moreover, the 2004 Social Forestry Rules and its 2010 amendment are not effectively implemented to facilitate co-management.”
Taslima Islam recommended the harmonization of conflicting laws with the Forest Act, revision of the 2024 Forest Policy, restructuring forest ownership, ensuring accountability and strict action against deforestation, and drafting a separate policy for the conservation of coastal forests.
Jacob de Leon, Second Secretary (Development) at the Australian High Commission, remarked: “Although the necessary laws exist in Bangladesh, they are not being effectively enforced due to a shortage of skilled manpower and financial and institutional constraints.”
In a panel discussion, Dr Wasiul Islam, professor at Khulna University’s Department of Forestry and Food Technology, said: “There is a lack of effective community participation in co-management despite years of ongoing projects.”
Another panelist, Dr Akhtar, emphasized the need to identify existing gaps and initiate solutions.
Participating in the panel, Sanaullah from the Forest Department noted: “Effective coordination between the Forest Department and land administration will make forest conservation more practical and results-oriented.”
The “Blue Economy and Inclusive Development for Climate Justice” project is being implemented in five upazilas—Koyra in Khulna, Assasuni and Shyamnagar in Satkhira, and Chakaria and Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar.
To maintain ecological balance, at least 25% of a country's total land area should be forested.
For a climate-vulnerable and poverty-affected country like Bangladesh, forestlands are vital for livelihoods and disaster resilience. In particular, coastal forests are irreplaceable in mitigating natural disasters and protecting biodiversity.