As climate risks continue to intensify along Bangladesh's coast, a 2-day national consultation began in Dhaka on Saturday to identify priority areas for mangrove restoration and advance nature-based solutions for long-term coastal resilience.
Organized by Friendship and Conservation International in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the consultation, titled Prioritising Nature-based Interventions for Resilient Coastal Bangladesh, aims to identify where restoring and protecting mangroves can have the greatest impact and contribute to a coordinated national coastal resilience blueprint.
State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam attended the inauguration as the chief guest. Former secretary to the Government of Bangladesh Dr Mohammad Faridul Islam attended as the special guest, while Additional Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) AKM Sohel and Chief Conservator of Forests Mohammad Amir Hossain Chowdhury attended as guests of honor.
The inauguration ceremony began with welcome remarks by Friendship Founder Runa Khan. Conservation International Managing Director for South Asia Saurav Malhotra also addressed the event.
Addressing the program, Shaikh Faridul Islam said: "I really appreciate the initiative taken by Conservation International, as well as Friendship. They are doing a great job for the community for Bangladesh, as well as more than 100 countries, as mentioned by Mr Saurav. The coastal people have a very different lifestyle. They are fighting with nature for their bread and butter."
He added: "Everybody is interested, but we must coordinate in how to fix it. That is the most important part of this. A lot of NGOs and INGOs are working in that area, but if we work collectively, it will be much more effective for the community."
Runa Khan emphasized the need for coordinated action across government institutions.
She said: "The finance ministry, the planning ministry, the disaster ministry, the fisheries ministry, agriculture, local government—everybody together, all the key agencies—must align in a policy, planning, finance, implementation and monitoring framework under one shared framework."
She added: "It must have a clear lead institution with clearly defined responsibilities. Organizations like us, the private sector, civil society, the UN and international partners are only there to support and strengthen government decisions. We call for a move beyond fragmented projects towards coordinated landscape action."
She said the workshop should help stakeholders agree on priority coastal landscapes for mangrove restoration and protection.
Saurav Malhotra said: "Bangladesh has made significant investments in helping coastal communities adapt to climate change. Restoring and protecting mangrove forests is an important part of that effort, helping reduce climate risks while supporting wildlife and communities' livelihoods."
He added: "Through our collaboration with Friendship and the Government of Bangladesh, Conservation International is committed to helping identify practical, science-based solutions that can be scaled to deliver lasting benefits."
According to the organizers, participants and technical experts are reviewing maps and technical data to identify coastal areas where mangrove restoration could deliver the greatest benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience and ecosystem-based livelihoods. They are also assessing community readiness, institutional coordination and data availability.
The consultation is exploring international best practices in coastal green-grey infrastructure and the role of mangroves as high-value blue carbon ecosystems. The discussions are expected to contribute to priorities for restoration, governance, monitoring, policy support and sustainable financing.
The workshop is part of the Mountains to Mangroves initiative, a regional program across Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal that promotes nature-based solutions through the restoration and protection of connected ecosystems from mountain watersheds to coastal mangrove landscapes.
In Bangladesh, the initiative supports efforts to restore mangroves and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities in Khulna and Satkhira through collaboration among the government, technical experts and development partners.
The workshop is expected to conclude with an agreed action plan outlining follow-up mechanisms and priorities for continued technical cooperation.
