🌿 Bangladesh’s Forest Resources, Institutions, and Sustainable Management (Part 1)

Writer: Niaz Murshed Chowdhury, PhD

✅ 1️⃣ Introduction

Bangladesh, an independent nation since 1971, sits in the northeastern part of South Asia, bounded by India, Myanmar, and the Bay of Bengal. Its population exceeds 170 million as of 2024, accounting for about 2% of the world’s population, with a density among the highest on earth — over 1,200 people per sq. km. More than 75% of the population still live in rural areas scattered across almost 60,000 villages, and the average household size remains around 4.5 persons.

Geographically, Bangladesh lies within the Bengal Basin, one of the world’s largest and most active delta regions, formed by sediments deposited by the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river system. Over 90% of its annual river flow originates outside its borders, from India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. As a low-lying delta, it is prone to seasonal floods that inundate ~20% of its land each monsoon.

Despite population pressure and land scarcity, Bangladesh possesses diverse natural resources, of which forests play a critical but increasingly threatened role. Forests provide timber, fuelwood, poles, bamboo, food, medicinal plants, and act as vital wildlife habitats. They buffer communities from cyclones, tidal surges, and soil erosion, influence rainfall, maintain biodiversity, and sustain local economies.

The country’s climate is subtropical monsoon, with rainfall ranging from 1,200 mm to 3,500 mm. Major crops include rice (the staple), jute, sugarcane, wheat, tea, and pulses. Garments, jute goods, tea, fish, leather, and forest products are significant export earners.

However, rapid deforestation, population pressure, and unsustainable exploitation threaten this fragile natural base. Environmental planning and sustainable forest management are essential to support livelihoods, mitigate disasters, and protect biodiversity for future generations.

✅ 2️⃣ Land Use & Forest Cover

Land use breakdown (approx.):

• 65% Agricultural land

• ~17% Forest land (state and private)

• ~8% Urban and built-up areas

• ~10% Rivers, wetlands, other uses

Bangladesh’s total forest area is about 2.52 million hectares (~17% of total land). This includes:

• 1.52 million hectares managed by the Forest Department (reserved, protected, acquired forests, and mangrove forests such as the Sundarbans).

• 0.73 million hectares of Unclassed State Forests (USF) managed by the Ministry of Land.

• About 0.27 million hectares of village forests — homestead woodlots, agroforestry plots, tea/rubber gardens — which form a vital private tree resource base.

Key forest regions:

• Hill forests in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet, and Mymensingh

• The world-famous Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• New mangrove plantations on accreted coastal land

• Sal forests in central regions (e.g., Madhupur Garh)

📊 Table: Major Forest Areas in Bangladesh (estimates)

Forest Type	Area (million ha)	Managing Authority
Reserved/Protected Forests	1.52	Forest Department
Unclassed State Forests (USF)	0.73	Ministry of Land
Village/Private Forests	0.27	Private owners
Total	2.52	—

✅ 3️⃣ Forest Departments & Key Institutions

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency for:

• Planning, policy-making, and oversight of forestry and biodiversity

• Implementing the Environment Conservation Act (1995)

🔹 Key bodies under MoEFCC:

🟢 Department of Forests

• Manages reserved, protected, and coastal forests

• Responsible for forest conservation, reforestation, social forestry, wildlife management, eco-tourism, and forest law enforcement.

🟢 Department of Environment (DoE)

• Regulates environmental impact assessments (EIA)

• Enforces pollution control measures

• Monitors compliance with environmental standards.

🟢 Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI)

• Founded in 1955 to develop technologies for sustainable forest productivity and forest-based industries.

• Researches plantation techniques, pest and disease management, biodiversity conservation, and forest product processing.

🟢 Bangladesh National Herbarium (BNH)

• Documents, collects, and conserves the country’s plant biodiversity.

• Maintains a national collection of plant specimens, which serves as a reference for conservation, education, and sustainable use.

🟢 Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC)

• Manages commercial extraction of timber from remote forests.

• Operates sawmills, plywood factories, furniture units, rubber plantations.

• Since 1961, BFIDC has developed over 32,000 acres of rubber plantations in Chattogram, Sylhet, Tangail, Mymensingh, and a pilot site in Rangpur’s Barind Tract.

• Provides technical support for 33,000 acres of private rubber plantations.

✅ 4️⃣ Forest Management & Ecosystem Services

Forests are vital renewable resources — they:

• Provide wood for construction, furniture, poles, fuel, pulp, and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like honey, fruits, medicinal plants.

• Regulate climate, rainfall, and river flows.

• Act as natural shields against cyclones and tidal surges, especially in coastal areas like the Sundarbans.

• Support eco-tourism (e.g., Sundarbans tiger reserves, hill tracts, wildlife sanctuaries).

Eco-tourism is increasingly promoted as a sustainable income stream that preserves forest integrity and generates alternative livelihoods for local communities.

✅ 5️⃣ Challenges & Priorities

However, Bangladesh’s forests face critical challenges:

• Rapid deforestation due to encroachment, illegal logging, shifting cultivation.

• Degradation of hill forests and mangroves.

• Loss of wildlife habitats and biodiversity.

• Climate change threats like sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, increased cyclone intensity.

✅ 6️⃣ Way Forward

Key recommendations:✔ Strengthen community-based forest management and social forestry.✔ Expand afforestation and reforestation programs.✔ Improve forest law enforcement to stop illegal logging.✔ Promote rubber, bamboo, and fast-growing timber plantations on marginal land.✔ Scale up eco-tourism and nature-based enterprises for local income.✔ Integrate climate change resilience into forest planning.✔ Invest in research, modern mapping, and monitoring.✔ Enhance public awareness and local participation.

📌 Conclusion

Forests remain Bangladesh’s green shield — protecting people, biodiversity, and livelihoods. With smart management, strong institutions, and local stewardship, Bangladesh can balance development needs with conservation, ensuring that its forests continue to sustain life for generations to come.