Presentation on bangladesh environmental policy (1992)

1. Bangladesh Environmental
Policy (1992).
Submitted To_ Submitted By_
Najmun Nahar Presentation Group ‘06’
Course Teacher of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) ID_ B-110602041, ’42, ’43, ’44, ‘45
Dept. of Geography and Environment Dept. of Geography and Environment
Jagannath University, Dhaka. Jagannath University, Dhaka.
Presentation On_

2. What is Environmental Policy and why?
 An environmental policy may be defined as the statement of intentions and
principles, which provides a framework for action and for setting of environmental
objectives and goals.
 It refers to the commitment of an organization to the laws, regulations, and other
policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues.
 Environmental Laws legal measures for the conservation and protection of the
environment and ecology.
 That (laws) lay down the rights and duties of citizens and public agencies in
consonance with the global call for a healthy environment.

3. Environmental Policy of Bangladesh
 Bangladesh is recognized to be one of the most susceptible countries in the world, highly
vulnerable to climatic manifestations (short-term and long-term impacts of climate change).
 Due to its unique geographic location, hydro-geological characters like dominance of
floodplains, low elevation from the sea and lastly the socio-economical characters like high
population density, high levels of poverty, and overwhelming dependence on nature.
 In the context of the environment, the Government of Bangladesh formulated an
Environment Policy in 1992.

4. Objectives Environmental Policy in 1992
 maintain ecological balance and overall
development
 protect the country against natural
disasters
 identify and regulate activities which
pollute and degrade the environment
 ensure environmentally sound development
in all sectors
 ensure sustainable use of all national
resources
 remain associated with all international
environmental initiatives

5. Background of the Environment Policy
formulation
 In pursuance of the Stockholm mandate, the government of Bangladesh, like all other
developing and developed countries, actively participated in the evolutionary process of
protecting global environment.
 As a result, the first Water Pollution Control Ordinance was published in 1973.
 In 1985 Department of Pollution Control Ordinance was established which subsequently
renamed and structured as Department of Environment (DOE).
 The idea of environmental protection through national efforts was first recognized and
declared with the adoption of the Environmental Policy 1992.

6. Cont….
 In the formation of Environmental Policy, different actors and factors played some direct
and indirect roles.
 All the actors, whether external (United Nations General Assembly, international forum,
international organizations, donor agencies) or internal (environmental NGOs
(CARDMA, BCAS, IUCN, FEJB, ADAB) government agencies i.e. Ministry of
Environment and Forest (MOEF), DOE, Planning Commission, concerned ministries,
consultants, bureaucrats, civil society and so on.) , played very pertinent roles in the
formulation of the Environmental Policy.
 An important step in this regard was the formulation of the national Environment
Management Action Plan (NEMAP) by the Ministry of Environment with participation by
some NGOs and other organizations.

7. Major features of the environment
policy
The policy covered all geographical regions and 15 development sectors like_
 Agriculture
 Industry
 Health and sanitation
 Energy and fuel
 Water development, flood
control and irrigation
 Land
 Forest, wildlife and biodiversity
 Fisheries and livestock
 Food
 Coastal and marine
environment
 Transport and communication
 Housing and urbanization
 Population
 Education and public
awareness
 Science, technology and
research

8. Cont…
 Agriculture: Environmentally sound agricultural practices are to be encouraged and
ensured for attainment of self-sufficiency in food. Among the various specific measures,
use of natural fertilizers and insecticides is encouraged as opposed to the application of
agro-chemicals and artificial materials exerting adverse impact on the environment.
 Industry: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for new industries, corrective
measures for polluting industries, ban on establishment of polluting industries and
development of environmentally sound and appropriate technology is required for
sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources.

9. Cont…
 Health and Sanitation: Healthy environment for rural and urban area, prevention
of activities, which are harmful to public health and healthy workplaces for workers
are to be ensured.
 Energy and Fuel: Reduction of the use of fuel-wood and agricultural residues,
exploring alternative energy resources, precautionary measures against potentially
harmful use of nuclear energy and nuclear radiation, conservation of forest fuel and
development of improved energy saving technology are recommended options for
the sector. Apart from these, EIA has been made mandatory before implementing
projects for exploration and extraction of fuel and mineral resources.

10. Cont…
 Water: Environmentally sound water resource management is suggested in
utilization and development of water resources, construction of irrigation network and
embankments, dredging of watercourses and in taking measures against river pollution.
EIA is required before undertaking projects related to water resource development and
flood control measures.
 Land: Activities that cause or result in land erosion, salinity and alkalinity, and loss
of soil fertility are prohibited. Compatible land use systems for different ecosystems and
environmentally sound management of newly accreted land are recommended.
 Forest, Wildlife and Bio-diversity: Conservation and expansion of forest zones,
conservation of wildlife and biodiversity and conservation of wetlands are recognized
as priority areas for action.

11. Cont…
 Fisheries and Livestock: Conservation of fisheries and livestock, mangrove forest and
others ecosystems and prevention of activities that diminish the wetlands and natural
habitats for fishes are the basic objectives in this sector.
 Food: Hygienic and environmentally sound method of production, preservation,
processing and distribution of food and measures to ensure prohibition of import of
harmful food items are recommended.
 Coastal and Marine Environment: Coastal and marine eco-systems are identified as
potential areas for intervention, where all internal and external polluting activities should
be stopped. Fishing in coastal and marine environment within regeneration limits is
recommended.

12. Cont…
 Transport and Communication: Road, rail, air and water transport systems should
be operated without polluting the environment. EIA is required before undertaking any
projects in these sectors.
 Housing and Urbanization: Environmentally sound planning and development of
housing and urban centers is required. Existence of water bodies in the cities is
recommended for maintaining environmental and ecosystem balance in the urban
areas.
 Population: Planned and proper utilization of manpower including ensuring the
participation and mainstreaming of women in all spheres is targeted for
environmentally sound development activities.

13. Cont…
 Education and Public Awareness: Eradication of illiteracy through formal and non-
formal education, building and raising public awareness of the environmental issues,
dissemination of environmental knowledge and information are the policy guidelines for
the conservation, improvement and sustainable use of natural resources.
 Science, Technology and Research: Research and development institutes are required
to consider the incorporation of the environmental issues in their research programs.

14. Proposed Legal framework
 Amend all laws to meet the present
day needs
 Frame new laws in all sectors
necessary to control pollution and
degradation
 Ensure implementation of laws and
create public awareness
 Ratify all concerned international
laws/conventions/protocols and
modify existing national laws in line
with ratified international laws.
Considered Institutional Arrangements
 Ministry of Environment and Forest to
coordinate the policy implementation
 A National Environment Committee
chaired by head of govt. to give overall
direction
 MoEF will perform timely amendments on
the backdrop of changing state of
environment and socio-economic another
needs of the country
 Department of Environment will
review/approve all EIAs

15. Key Constraints for effective
implementation of Environment policy
 The policies have adopted in principle the concept of sustainable development and it
has also recognized the importance of economic development that goes hand in hand
with the control of environmental pollution and maintaining ecological balance.
 The formulated Environment Policy although fairly rich in content is not supported
by necessary actions of implementation.
 Various research studies have noted that the implementation of the Environmental
policy and the Environmental Protection Act have been bogged down due to some
institutional and functional limitations_
 Various operational rules for effective implementation of the Policy and Act would require
complementary and detailed operational rules, many of which have not yet been formulated

16. Cont…
 Implementation of the Policy and Act demands a significant amount of funding and
investment, which is hardly placed in the revenue and or development budget of
Bangladesh.
 The DOE, the principal implementing agency severely lacks human and physical
resources to respond to the demanding tasks and responsibilities of both the Policy and the
Act.
 Lack of Inter-agency coordination is one of the major causes of poor and inefficient use
of the existing policy outline and rules on environmental protection and management.
 Empirical studies also noted that involvement of the effective engagement and
participation of the community in various environment management and operational
interventions have narrowed down the functional effectiveness of the policy and the Act.

17. References
 BBS (2004). Compendium of Environmental Statistics of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh Bureau of
Statistics.
 Centre for Policy Dialogue (2001), CPD Task Force Report, Policy Brief on “Environmental Policy”,
 Centre for Policy Dialogue (2001), CPD Task Force Report, Policy Brief on “Environmental Policy”,
 Clemett , Alexandra, (2004) A Review of Environmental Policy and Legislation in Bangladesh, BEEL
 Environment Econiomics Unit (2006),Poverty and Environment in Bangladesh, Department of Economics,
 School of Economics and Commercial Law, Goteborg University,
Farooque, M,Hasan, S. Rizwana, (1996) Laws Regulating Environment in Bangladesh, Dhaka: BELA.
 Government of Bangladesh (1998), Fifth Five Year Plan, Planning Commission,
Government of Bangladesh(2008) Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Dhaka
 http://lib.pmo.gov.bd/Policy.html
 http://bn.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6_%E
0%A6%86%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%A8
 http://www.bssnews.net/bangla/newsDetails.php?cat=6&id=294156&date=2015-06-24
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh_Environmental_Lawyers_Association