Tanguar Haor: Existence at stake, nature faces depletion

The Tanguar Haor, Bangladesh’s second Ramsar site, once rich in resources and beauty, is now in a pitiful state. Much effort has been made to develop the haor (wetland) over the past 22 years since the leasing system was abolished, but there has been hardly any positive outcome. On the contrary, the lives and livelihoods of local communities, the environment and biodiversity are now facing a deep crisis. Due to a lack of proper monitoring by the administrative authorities, it's a free-for-all where people are damaging the haor at random.

There are rows upon rows of houseboats at the very mouth of the haor. Generators roar loudly. Polythene and other waste is being dumped there indiscriminately. All this is happening even in the sanctuary where motor boats are prohibited. An average of 200,000 birds would visit this haor every year in the past. This year the number of migratory birds here has reached an all-time low.

Experts say that despite being declared a wetland rich in biodiversity after the Sundarbans and recognised under the Ramsar Convention, Tanguar Haor remains effectively unprotected due to poor management. As a result, everyone is destroying it as they please.

For 70 long years, Tanguar Haor was under the lease-based system known as the "ijara" system. After this system was abolished, it came under the control of the administration. The goal was to protect and conserve the haor’s resources and to improve the quality of life for the people living around it. While some government and non-government initiatives have been taken, lack of coordination between the administration and project stakeholders has led to limited success.

The haor, known for its rich biodiversity including fish, trees, and birds - especially as a haven for freshwater fish - is seeing a decline in fish due to uncontrolled harvesting. The filling up of the haor, destruction of forests and habitats, human disturbance and hunting have all contributed to the dwindling bird population. Unrestricted movement of tourists is also negatively affecting the haor’s environment.

Tanguar Haor is located in the Tahirpur and Madhyanagar upazilas of Sunamganj district, about 40 kilometers from the district town. Spanning 18 mouzas across four unions, the haor covers an area of 12,655 hectares. It contains 54 small and large bils (wetlands), and is crisscrossed by countless canals like a web. During the monsoon, everything merges into one vast body of water, turning the haor into something resembling a lake or sea. Within and along the edge of the Tanguar area are 88 villages, and the lives and livelihoods of nearly 60,000 people in these villages depend on the haor.

After the lease system was abolished, for a brief period the haor was patrolled by police and Ansar members under the leadership of an executive magistrate, along with members of the community guard. Now, however, only 16 Ansar personnel are tasked with guarding this vast haor. There is currently no effective project in place for the development or management of the haor. In this situation, unless serious measures are taken to protect Tanguar Haor, which is a part of the world’s natural heritage, the only source of livelihood for local people will be in grave danger.

Boatman Shabbir said that in the past ten years he has never seen so few birds. Earlier, as soon as a boat entered the haor, the flapping of wings was so loud it was hard to hear anything else. Now, it’s hard to even notice whether there are any birds around. Bird experts say that silt from upstream filling the haor, destruction of bird habitats, hunting, and lack of adequate protection are the main reasons behind the decline in bird populations.

According to Bangladesh Bird Club, while around 60,000 birds were recorded in 2018, the number fell to just over 27,000 in 2022. Nighttime fishing using trawlers and artificial lights from India’s Meghalaya hills are also disturbing the birds' environment.

Although the upazila administration conducts occasional drives, these are inadequate compared to what is needed. Forests are being destroyed for fuel, and in the dry season, the unrestricted movement of buffaloes and cows from other regions is damaging both the forest and bird habitats.
Wildlife researcher Shimanto Dipu reported that this year saw the lowest number of migratory birds in 20 years. Where around 200,000 birds were usually counted on average, only about 23,000 came this time. The widespread killing of birds using poisoned bait and the free movement of fishing trawlers point to a clear lack of administrative oversight.

Trees like koroch and other wetland species are being cut down secretly, indiscriminately. While the forest department does not have an exact inventory of the trees, they claim to have planted 40,000 hijol and koroch saplings around the observation tower in the Golabari area. However, field visits reveal that most of the new saplings are dying from neglect. Local fishermen fear that these carelessly planted trees will not survive.

Although forest department range officer Md. Saad Uddin acknowledged the challenge of preserving the saplings, senior local boatmen have criticised the department’s initiative. They allege that the tree-planting programme is being used to embezzle funds, and trees are not being planted where they are actually needed.

Once known as a mine of chital fish, the Alangdowa area is now nearly bereft of all fish. In the past, bamboo and tree branches were placed in the wetlands to increase fish production, and these spots were guarded carefully. But in recent years, none of these practices have been implemented in Tanguar Haor. Currently, along with kojanjal and berjal (types of fishing nets), a type of fish trap known as "China duari" is being widely used.

Wildlife researcher Shimanto Dipu says that the China duari net is being used freely to indiscriminately kill fish and other aquatic creatures. There have even been alarming incidents of using electric shocks to kill fish. This harms not only fish but other animals as well. Additionally, by leasing out smaller haors, leaseholders are also overharvesting fish from nearby haors.

The district fisheries department does not have separate data specifically on fish production in Tanguar Haor. According to their general records, a total of 109,517 metric tons of fish were produced in Sunamganj district in 2021-22, of which 32,096 metric tons came from haor areas.
When contacted, district fisheries officer Md. Shamsul Karim told Prothom Alo, “We consider all the haors, and Tanguar Haor is part of that. There are plans under consideration for a government project to increase fish production in the haor.”

However, local fishermen say that where once local fish were abundant, now farmed pangas and tilapia are being sold. There is a severe shortage of local fish. The main occupations of people living around the haor are agriculture and fishing, both of which are now facing crises. Agriculture is at risk and fish has declined.

Beyond that, some residents of the Tanguar Haor area used to work as laborers in coal transport from the border and in sand mining in the nearby Jadukata River. But coal import has been irregular since 2016. Due to the increased use of dredgers and other machinery in the Jadukata, manual labour opportunities have decreased. Especially after the massive crop loss in the haor in 2017, many people left the area in search of work. Some have ended up becoming involved in smuggling across the border.

Zofura Begum (75), a long-time resident of the haor, laments, “Back then, fish would brush against your feet while bathing, and the sound of birds’ wings kept us awake at night. Even when there was a shortage of rice, there was never a shortage of fish. Now, we have to buy farmed pangas to eat.”

The China duari net, a special type of net with mesh and attached compartments, is finer and lighter than current nets, which has made it particularly harmful to aquatic life such as snakes, frogs, fish fry and other water creatures. Although its use was first noticed along the banks of the Padma River, it has now spread across the country. In the Tanguar Haor region, these nets are spread everywhere and there is hardly any space left to cast other types of nets.

The mesh of the China duari net is so fine that small fish can't escape. Even fish roe get caught. These nets, produced in Bangladesh, are also known as "magic nets" and "dholuk nets." They have gained significant popularity among fishermen, especially after the ban on current nets, which led many to turn to this alternative.

Professor Md Abdul Wahab, former dean of the fisheries department at Bangladesh Agricultural University and current professor at the department of marine fisheries and aquaculture at Bangladesh Maritime University, stated: “The China duari net not only traps fish of various sizes, but also captures aquatic animals and fish fry. Even fish roe caught in this net, preventing these species from reproducing. Many of these fish may be endangered. The department of fisheries must take immediate action to stop the use of these nets.”

However, no initiative for cautionary measures or fines has been observed regarding the use of these nets. Although fishermen are aware of the harm, the silence of the authorities means they continue to use them.
Sirajul Islam, a man in his seventies from Golabari village, said, “Not even a tenth of the haor from 20 years ago is left today. Fish, plants, birds, everything has declined. If you hear stories about the fish and birds from back then, you wouldn’t believe it today.”

At the entrance to the haor from Tahirpur, several houseboats can be seen, some with generators running, some with cooking in progress, and others idly waiting for the monsoon. According to locals, around 200 houseboats occupy the haor every monsoon season, and the waste they produce is dumped directly into the water. Loud music, bright lights at night, and roaming boats are having a detrimental impact on the haor's environment and ecosystem. The growing trend of luxury overnight stays on boats is also becoming a threat to biodiversity.

Local resident Rokon Mia reported that wealthy people from Dhaka bring these houseboats here, spending hundreds of thousands of taka. Tourists show little concern for the harm caused to locals. Though the local administration imposed some restrictions last year, they were poorly enforced in practice. This year, steps are being taken to bring all houseboats under a registration system.

Aklima Begum, a local resident, expressed anger over the dumping of waste from these houseboats into the water, which they use for bathing and washing dishes. “It’s disgusting that human waste mixes in the water,” she said, “but we don’t have the courage to speak up.”

During the monsoon, tourists often spend the night on houseboats, raising safety concerns. This practice has sparked mixed reactions among locals. Some stakeholders believe that eco-friendly alternatives, like designated resorts or guesthouses in certain areas, could accommodate tourism without harming the haor’s natural environment or biodiversity.

On 31 May, a houseboat named Rahabar, carrying tourists in Tahirpur, suddenly caught fire and was completely destroyed. Twelve tourists on board narrowly escaped harm.

This past Tuesday, the upazila administration fined a tourist vessel on Tanguar Haor for playing loud music.

AKM Abu Nasar, president of the Sunamganj Environmental Movement (SUPA), said, “The haor must be preserved in its natural state. Whether it’s tourism or development, nature must not be harmed.”

Recalling the past prosperity of Tanguar Haor, local people sigh in disappointment. After it was declared an “Ecologically Critical Area” in 1999, a 70-year-long lease-holding system came to an end. In 2000, the haor was recognised as a Ramsar Site, and in 2001, its management was handed over to the ministry of environment and forests. Later, administrative control was taken over by the district administration. However, following the long-standing leasing system, new initiatives have brought little hope.

Although an MoU was signed for the haor's management, its conditions were not implemented. Government projects also failed to deliver meaningful outcomes. Despite nearly Tk 330 million (Tk 33 crore) being spent on a community-based sustainable management project run by IUCN, public awareness about protecting the haor's resources did not improve. The core objectives of the project were not achieved.

Although some community groups were formed and savings initiatives were introduced, there were no significant steps taken to protect the fish and birds. During the project’s implementation, conflicts also arose between local administration and project personnel.

Azizur Rahman, who worked on the community-based sustainable development project in the haor, said that the lives and livelihoods of people from 88 villages surrounding the haor depend on it, creating immense pressure. "It is not possible to do everything through just one project. Since people’s expectations were not met, their dependency on the haor has only increased, further deepening the crisis," he said.

On 27 September 2009, Md Zahir Uddin Ahmed, then deputy commissioner of Sunamganj and chairman of the Haor management committee, pointed to the ongoing mismanagement of the haor and suggested a return to the previous lease-holding system. His reasoning was that lease-holders, driven by self-interest, were more likely to invest significant resources into the haor's development.

However, AFM Rezaul Karim, head of the IUCN’s Community-Based Sustainable Management Project for Tanguar Haor, opposed this idea. He argued that reverting to a leasing system would violate the Ramsar Convention and damage the country’s international image.

People living in the haor region still believe that weak governance has benefited a handful of local individuals while ultimately harming the haor itself. While they do not support a return to the lease-holding model, they are also dissatisfied with the current system of management.

Wahiduzzaman, former project manager at IUCN, stated that from the beginning, a certain group had opposed the existing management approach and has continually tried to persuade the administration to revert to the leasing system.

On 22 May, the International Day for Biodiversity, the United Nations launched a new project aimed at conserving the biodiversity of Tanguar Haor, one of Bangladesh’s most environmentally significant wetlands, and improving the management of its ecosystem and natural resources.
The project, titled “Community-Based Management of the Tanguar Haor Wetland Ecosystem,” will be implemented jointly by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the five-year initiative aims to ensure the sustainable use of the haor’s wetland resources by involving local communities in co-management, restoring degraded freshwater forests and aquatic habitats, and creating alternative livelihood opportunities.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller said that local involvement was essential to protect such an invaluable natural resource. This wetland is not only a vital habitat for fish but also a major refuge for migratory birds and a rich reservoir of biodiversity. He said, we all need to come together to protect Tanguar Haor.

The local conscientious people are distraught at the uncared state  of Tanguar Haor. Despite knowing the harm being done to the haor, people go ahead catching fish, felling trees and hunting birds. According to persons long involved in the haor, say that the dependence of the local people on the haor must be reduced and initiatives for poverty alleviation and alternative means of employment must be taken. The internal embankments must be removed to restore natural movement of the fish.

Ahmed Kabir, a resident of the haor, said alongside keeping the sanctuaries unharmed, the local people must be given opportunity to fish in certain selected bils. He spoke of halting the rearing of buffaloes, cows and ducks there, as well as to stop building embankments and dams in the haor. He also said specific areas should be demarcated for tourists and the entrance of people into the sanctuaries strictly controlled.

There is hardly any application of the law to prevent activities that harm the haor. After the lease system was abolished, a magistrate used to be stationed in the haor area. That is no longer the case. Now, the upazila administration only occasionally conducts mobile courts or enforcement drives, mostly eyewash. The administration’s capacity to take effective action in enforcing the law is also questionable.

Local influential people and vested interest groups influence the local administration and take advantage of the area. There has always been conflict and mistrust between those involved in government and non-government management of the haor. The administration often sought to intervene in NGO-led initiatives, while NGOs wanted to operate independently. Now, in practice, neither side is present at the haor, leaving it without any effective guardianship.

From 2006 to 2016, the NGO, Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS), was involved in implementing development projects in Tanguar Haor. Yahia Sajjad, the organisation’s chief officer in Sunamganj, noted that efforts so far have mainly focused on raising awareness. No significant steps were taken to increase fish production or conserve sanctuary areas. Without genuine commitment from both the local community and the government, and without a long-term integrated plan, meaningful development of the haor is not possible.

UNDP is reportedly planning to implement a new project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The tourism board has initiated plans to develop a “Tanguar Haor Tourism Park”, and the district administration is also considering various actions.

Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Elias Mia stated that although there is currently no dedicated project in place, the administration is actively overseeing the haor and planning a special project for its overall development. Emphasis will be placed on conserving sanctuary zones, biodiversity, and the environment.

Bangladesh is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty signed in 1972 for the conservation of wetlands. Bangladesh ratified the treaty in 1992. Following this, the Sundarbans in 1992 and Tanguar Haor in 2000 were designated as Ramsar sites. Under this agreement, the government is obligated to take steps to protect Tanguar Haor. However, it is often alleged that the government’s efforts, and those of NGOs in implementing projects, have been half-hearted. Key limitations in managing and protecting this vast wetland were not given due importance.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change and the ministry of water resources, said that work has begun to address unregulated tourism and other issues in Tanguar Haor. A tourism roadmap is expected to be prepared within the next two months. In addition, separate plans are underway for biodiversity conservation.

The future of Tanguar Haor now hinges on effective action. Without prompt and collective effort, this invaluable wetland is at risk of being wiped out, of becoming a mere memory.