Protect nature: A call for future humanity

Experts have stressed on conservation of beneficial insects, indigenous species of birds, fishes and animals from extinction to maintain ecological balance and revive biodiversity and ecosystems. Many useful insects, indigenous birds, animals and sweet water fishes are not being seen due to the reduction in forest areas and extinction of water bodies in recent decades. Some other indigenous species of beneficial insects, birds, fishes and animals are facing a serious threat as their reproduction is being hampered due to adverse impacts of climate change at an unthinkable rate creating an imbalance in nature.
The extinction process still continues due to reduction in forest areas, drying up of water bodies, rivers and tributaries and unsystematic use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, change in soil properties and many other reasons.
In Sylhet’s Moulvibazar, Khanjar haor being polluted at an alarming rate due to waste discharged from Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Industrial Estate. Factories dealing with ready-made garments and other products have been discharging waste into the nearby haor in an unrestrained manner for almost two decades now, taking no effective measure to curb it. Besides, nearby arable lands have depleted and fish population has declined significantly as chemical-laden water enters Khanjar haor through the drains.
Many species of migratory birds have visited the country every year during winter since ancient times when an adequate number of water bodies, marshy lands, ponds, canals, forests and hilly sanctuaries remained undisturbed. However, fewer numbers of migratory birds are visiting char areas, rivers, ponds and other water bodies for a shorter period though their number was very high even three to four decades ago. The changing climate has caused an imbalance in nature, extinction of beneficial insects and birds and scarcity of animal foods in forests reducing their populations.
The government, civil society organizations, and social and educational institutions should come up with the commitment to protect the water bodies, forest and arable lands as the basic human needs and the ecological balance largely depend on lands, rivers and hills.