A lease on haors (wetland) hits biodiversity in the country as the lessees try their best to reap benefits from the water bodies, experts have observed.
They said a co-management system by local people could save the water bodies and retain the natural ecology of environment.
The experts came up with the views while inaugurating a photo exhibition on Tangua Haor yesterday.
Taking part in the discussion, International Union for Conservation of Nature Bangladesh country representative Ishtiaque Uddin Ahmed said they were conducting a project on Tangua Haor which was being managed by a co-management system, but there was an apprehension that the water body would be leased out again.
He said if it was given on lease further, the achievements they earned by conducting the project would be destroyed.
Most of the 11,500 water bodies across the country were in poor condition, Ishtiaque Uddin observed.
In his address, bird expert Inam-Al-Haque said most haors had been destroyed because of lease as the lessors did not think about the biodiversity, but their own interest only.
“We must save haors from being destroyed,” vowed.
Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation Chairman Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said the co-management system was very effective to protect the haors.
He said Bangladesh made progress in poverty alleviation and lifted people’s living standard in the hills, but protection of haors to keep ecological balance remained as a major challenge.
Kholiquzzaman said locals should be made aware that if the water bodies were protected, they would benefit in the long run.
A total of 62 photos of 24 photographers were exhibited at the programme. The photos depicted lives and biodiversity of Tangua Haor.
On the first day, a good number of visitors paid a visit to the exhibition.
