Staff Reporter: Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury underscored the pressing need for coordinated endeavors to preserve and oversee the Ganges River Dolphin within the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin. Acknowledging the global importance of the Ganges River Dolphin, Minister Chowdhury urged collective action and increased collaboration among all stakeholders to tackle the diverse challenges confronting the species.

The Minister made these remarks during the inaugural session of the First International Conference on Management and Conservation of the Ganges River Dolphin, held today at Hotel Intercontinental, Dhaka.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Saber Hossain emphasized that the dolphin serves as a vital indicator of river health, stressing that understanding the dolphin population's status reflects the overall ecological well-being of the river. He warned that the inability of dolphins to thrive in river waters signals a perilous state of water pollution, endangering the river ecosystem and aquatic life.

Minister Chowdhury highlighted the importance of fostering collaborative partnerships, facilitating interdisciplinary exchanges, and leveraging collective expertise to ensure the sustained survival of the Ganges River Dolphin. He emphasized the significance of robust knowledge dissemination, innovative policy dialogues, and community engagement initiatives to drive conservation efforts and promote sustainable management practices within the GBM river basin.

Chaired by Chief Conservator of Forest Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury, the session was addressed, among others, by Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, World Bank Acting Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Syud Amer Ahmed, BWDB Director General Muhammad Amirul Haq Bhuiya and BIWTA Chief Engineer (Dredging) Rokibul Islam Talukder.

Divisional Forest Officer of Chittagong North Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Ramesh Kumar Yadav of Koshi Tappa Wildlife Reserve of Nepal and Lead Environment Specialist and Regional Standards Coordinator at the World Bank Josefo Tuyor made separate power-point presentations on the Ganges dolphins.

The conference brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, including government agencies, the World Bank, international organizations, academia, NGOs, community leaders, and species experts. Participants engaged in insightful discussions, knowledge sharing sessions, and policy dialogues aimed at formulating effective strategies for the preservation of this iconic species.

Biniyougbarta/SAM//