By Ohidur Rahman from Netrakona
Wetlands act as guardians of our environment. They play vital roles in maintaining ecosystem balance, regulating local and regional temperatures, influencing rainfall cycles, preserving freshwater sources, recharging groundwater, storing carbon, mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts, supporting livelihoods, contributing to the economy, and safeguarding the environment which is supporting overall human life systems. World Wetlands Day is observed every year on February 2. This year’s theme is: “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Our Cultural Heritage.”
Marking the occasion, the Green Coalition Committee, with support from BARCIK, observed the day with due importance in the haor region of Netrokona district, near the Dhanu River, Royail Beel, and Dingapota Haor.
Teachers, students, fishers, farmers, and environmental activists participated in this event sharing their concerns and recommendations. Participating students, farmers, fishers, and youth organized a “Nature Bonding” program, holding banners and festoons with slogans demanding protection of all water bodies in the haor region such as rivers, haors, beels, and canals.
Speakers included teacher Mahabubur Rahman, Abu Rasel, journalist and General Secretary of the District Committee for Education, Culture and Environmental Protection Alpana Begum, Green Coalition Committee Joint General Secretary Mirza Hridoy Sagar, BARCIK Regional Coordinator Md. Ohidur Rahman, Abdur Rob, and others.
It is to mention that the disappearance of rivers, canals, beels, haors, and wetlands is reducing natural fish diversity. People are becoming increasingly dependent on farmed fish, while fishing families who rely on natural fish are facing growing risks. Since the 17th century, nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded. Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests. Therefore, stronger national and global efforts are urgently needed to protect, conserve, and restore wetlands before further loss occurs.
