IUCN, International Union for Conservation of TANGUAR HAOR Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non- Ronald Halder is a freelance government organizations, United Nations documentary film maker and agencies, companies and local communities photographer. He has made a together to develop and implement policy, significant number of laws and best practice. conservation related documentaries. Notable IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global among these are 'Tanguar environmental network - a democratic Haor' released in September membership union with more than 1,000 2002 and 'Satchari' released in government and NGO member organizations, 1998. Both of these films had and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more a significant impact in the than 160 countries. decision making process to set these two places aside as Our vision is a just world that values and conservation areas. He is also conserves nature. Our mission is to influence, the author of 'A Sound Guide encourage and assist societies throughout the to the Birds of Bangladesh'. world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural As a passionate nature lover, resources is equitable and ecologically he also writes frequently in a sustainable. number of national publications on conservation IUCN Bangladesh related issues. Wetlands are To achieve its goals and objectives, IUCN one of Ronald's passion and Bangladesh parallels the vision and mission of the pictures in this book IUCN globally, with well set strategic reflects that through his lens. directions. IUCN Bangladesh Country Office works in close association with its members IUCN (INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE) photo :Samiul Mohsanin formed from a collective of national non- BANGLADESH COUNTRY OFFICE government organizations with key support House 11, Road 138, Gulshan 1 from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, a State member. Support, advice and Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh encouragement is also received valued from partners, donors and commission members, Tel: +880 2 9890395, 9890423, 8852743 Fax: +880 2 9892854 and volunteer scientists at home and abroad. E-mail: [email protected] www.iucn.org/bangladesh TANGUAR HAOR IUCN (INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE) BANGLADESH COUNTRY OFFICE February 2009 INTRODUCTION TO TANGUAR HAOR A globally significant wetland,Tanguar Haor in north-eastern part of international importance. The management of thehaor was transferred Bangladesh, adjacent to the Indian border, is part of a from the Ministry of Land to the Ministry of Environment and Forests in The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion wetland/floodplain complex of theSurma river basin. Administratively, 2001. whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, administration, or concerning the delimitation of its one third ofTanguar Haor lies in the Tahirpur Upazilla (sub-district) and frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN. the reminder inDharmapasha Upazilla, both within the Sunamganj Wetland ecosystems are of great importance to Bangladesh because of District of theSylhet Division (See map). Although several hundred their extent and of the critical economic and ecological role that they This Book is published under the “Community-Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Project” of Ministry of Environment and Forests kilometers from the sea, theTanguar Haor is located at an elevation of play in sustaining life and livelihoods in the country. Wetlands provide (MoEF), Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh with financial support received from the Swiss Agency for Development and only 2.5 – 5 meters above sea level, and water movement is generally short- and long-term benefits and services to the people of Bangladesh Cooperation (SDC) sluggish. including crop and fish production, swamp forest and reed land maintenance, and regulation of water flow. Wetland resources are of During the monsoon, thebeels merge into one large body of water in a particular importance in the context of livelihood strategies of the Published by: Publication Supervision: natural depression between the levees of several rivers. During this poorest segments of society. Nowhere in the world are the lives of so IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, February 2009 Dr. Ainun Nishat season (June - September),Tanguar Haor is entirely under water except many people so intricately linked to the productivity of wetlands. The Raquibul Amin for villages, mostly locate in the periphery, constructed on raised cultural and economic functions of wetlands contribute in many ways to Copyright: mounds, appear as small islands in this vast body of fresh water. In the satisfying essential needs of large parts of the population. Wetlands are © 2009 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Graphic Design & Layout: dry season waters recede into the rivers and all that remain are some 50 under threat from encroaching and competing forms of land-use, and Natural Resources Dr. Ronald Halder and INTENT Design beels,which cover about 25 - 30% of the haor area. These deeper bodies the resources they contain are exploited in unsustainable ways. of water are heavily fished. They attract many waterfowl during the winter season. The is considered to an important breeding The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), under the National Reproduction of this publication for educational or other Technical Supervision: Tanguar haor ground of many species of fish. Conservation Strategy Implementation project, sponsored a number of non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior Sheikh Asaduzzaman studies to determine the potential in natural resources of written permission from the copyright holder provided Edwina Hollander Tanguar Haor Waters inTanguar Haor consist mainly of water backing up in the Surma and to identify the causes of observed resource depletion. These studies the source is fully acknowledged. river system, south of thehaor, although some water is received from identified that lack of income and employment opportunities for the Printing: streams flowing from theMeghalaya Hills in India to the North. Although people of the basin (who live isolated on islands during the entire rainy Reproduction of this publication for resale or other Progressive Printers Pvt. Ltd. rich in nutrients, waters are generally clear,especially in the dry season. season) as a major cause of resource depletion. The swamp forests have commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written TheJadukata river, to the north-east, brings large amounts of sand to diminished as local people harvest wood for use as fuel, reed beds have permission of the copyright holder. this part of the Sylhet basin. depleted due to unsustainable harvesting practices and the fish stocks had been seriously diminished due to over-exploitation by leaseholders. Captions and images: Tanguar Haor provides immediate subsistence and livelihoods to some The lack of any system for recognizing customary rights of use and Dr. Ronald Halder 40,000 people residing in some 46 - 50 villages located in its periphery. related management schemes has alienated thehaor residents and Standards of living are very poor. The principal economic resource is precluded the emergence of management schemes that could ensure fish. that exploitation levels are sustainable. Citation: IUCN Bangladesh. 2009. In Focus: Tanguar Haor. In 1999, the Government of Bangladesh, recognizing the ecological With these observations, the Government of Bangladesh prepared a IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka , Bangladesh, 124 pp. importance of the area and the over-exploitation of resources declared comprehensive management plan forTanguar Haor , introducing the theTanguar Haor an "Ecologically Critical Area". In 2002 the Tanguar concept of “wise-use” of wetland resources based on the wise-use ISBN: Haor was listed as the country's second RAMSAR site - wetland of principles of the RAMSAR convention in 2005. 978-984-33-0248-9 Traditional allocation of fishing right to highest bidder is no longer practiced. Rather, under the “Community-based Table of Contents Sustainable Management of the Tanguar Haor Project” was taken up Chapter 1 for implementation in December 2006 07 Landscape with support of the Swiss Agency for Chapter 1.1 Development and Cooperation (SDC). 08 Summer Landscape Chapter 1.2 The project aims to successfully 18 Winter Landscape engage community in managing the resources of theTanguarHaor . Chapter 2 Tanguar Haor still remains a pristine 29 Birds and undisturbed spot of natural Chapter 2.1 30 Residents beauty. Photographs contained in this Chapter 2.2 book provide some evidence of the 48 Migratory birds unspoiled nature and its interaction with people living around it. Chapter 3 81 Plants Chapter 3.1 84 Aquatic plants Chapter 3.2 88 Terrestrial plants Chapter 4 99 Other Residents Chapter 5 105 Life in the Wetlands Chapter 6 117 Threats and Conservation Work Chapter 1 07 Landscape Chapter 1.1 Summer Landscape A ‘haor’ is a bowl-shaped depression between natural levees of river network that readily become submerged in the monsoon months. 08 09 10 11 The serene landscape of the winter months