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Protect biodiversity

Published : Wednesday, 22 May, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 435
Md Zillur Rahaman
International Biodiversity Day is observed on May 22 every year and the day is important in raising awareness about biodiversity in the global arena and in deciding what to do about it. The day was set for December 29, 1993, but the UN General Assembly rescheduled May 22, 2002, after many countries stopped celebrating the day in the last week of December due to various holidays. Originally, May 22, 1992, was recognized as International Day by the Convention on Biodiversity in Nairobi, Kenya.

International Biodiversity Day falls under the UN Sustainable Development Goals of the post-2015 development agenda. Biodiversity issues include sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation and drought; Water and sanitation; Health and sustainable development; Power; Science, technology and innovation, knowledge sharing and capacity-building; Urban resilience and adaptability; Sustainable transportation; Climate change and disaster risk reduction; Oceans and seas; Forest; Indigenous peoples have made greater initiatives for international cooperation in partnership with food security.

In the world we live in, every animal is dependent on each other, each species has a different role to play in this ecosystem. Every living thing is important to the environment in one way or another. Therefore, in the interest of maintaining the balance of the living world and protecting the environment, all living beings must be allowed to live. Humans are not the only cause of extinction of other species, if their activities continue in this direction, then we will actually move towards the extinction of mankind!

In simple terms, billions of animals live on this earth, which is called biodiversity and in terms of science, biodiversity is the whole living organism of the world including plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystem composed of them. From the arid deserts to the forests, from the snow-capped mountains to the depths of the ocean, many species have survived without losing their natural balance. According to biologists, biodiversity is water, land, everything in the environment. Diversity of species and plants One part of the worlds 12 billion animals is home to 49 million species of various animals and plants.

All living things on earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, are essentially genes and their ecosystems. At three different stages these are considered, hereditary diversity, species diversity and ecological diversity. Biodiversity helps to prevent the extinction of animals, helps to maintain the balance of nature. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, representatives of more than 150 countries signed an agreement on the conservation of biodiversity. Bangladesh is also one of the signatories of this agreement. The total number of species in the biodiversity of Bangladesh is more than twelve thousand and the government is committed to protect them.

Biodiversity plays a special role in maintaining ecological stability. Different peoples of the same ecosystem live interdependently. Therefore, as the diversity of species increases or the number of species increases, so does the balance and stability of the ecosystem. Extinction of any one plant or animal species in the ecosystem means disruption of the food chain associated with the plant or animal species concerned. Therefore, the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the overall balance of the ecosystem is impeccable and immense.

Man is directly dependent on nature for his food, clothing, shelter, medicine etc. It is because of biodiversity that man is able to meet his growing food needs from nature. Not only do humans get food from a wide variety of plant species; Also gets medicine, wood, paper, fiber, rubber, glue, resin, tannin, flowers etc. Similarly, fish collects meat, dairy products, skins, feathers, wool, lacquer, honey, etc. from such diverse animal species. Again, through the controlled use of different germs, different industrial products can be produced. In a word, people are directly or indirectly dependent on biodiversity for food and health.

The biodiversity of any country is the wealth of that country. Different species of creatures make nature diverse and beautiful. Samples of these resources are stored in zoos, museums, botanical gardens to introduce them to the general public. As a result, aesthetic beauty and educational value increase. One study found that freshwater mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have declined at an average rate of 4 percent per year since 1970. Humans are increasing the risk of climate change and biodiversity. As a result, the risk of genetic (contagious disease from other animals) diseases like COVID-19 is increasing.

Biodiversity is essential for the overall conservation and functioning of the biosphere to prevent environmental pollution. Plants play a vital role in maintaining the supply of oxygen to the environment and in causing rainfall. Natural reservoirs including rivers, canals, beels, ponds, haors and baors play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the environment and conserving biodiversity. In addition, wetlands are important for keeping the environment cool, preventing floods during the monsoon season, reducing waterlogging in the city, meeting water demand and treating waste.

But people are filling the wetlands as they wish. But wetlands are very important for maintaining the balance of the environment, the survival of plants and animals. In this country there is no shortage of rivers, canals, beels, ponds, ditches, haors, only lack of conservation! One wetland after another is being filled at village, union, upazila, district and city level. However, according to the Natural Reservoir Conservation Act-2000, it is completely illegal to fill any pond-reservoir, river-canal.

Again, according to the Bangladesh Environmental Protection Act-2010, filling of ponds or reservoirs by any person, organization, government or semi-government, or even an autonomous organization or privately owned by them without the national essential interest is strictly prohibited. But it is a matter of regret that many influential individuals and organizations are destroying the balance of the environment by destroying the natural wetlands by violating the law. This has had a long-term negative impact on wetland dependent people and biodiversity.

The Sundarbans is the single largest mangrove forest in the world, located along the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans, rich in biodiversity, is one of the fascinadoras destinations in the map of the world. Those who make research on this forest, say that the Sundarbans is one of the forces to protect biodiversity and the environment. However, the existence of the Sundarbans is under threat due to the sinking of oil tanks, inland water, pollution of the environment, poaching and construction of industries in the forest areas.

Biodiversity conservation is recognized in the constitution as a fundamental state policy of Bangladesh. The Wildlife Conservation Ordinance was enacted in early 1974 after independence. Bangladesh is one of the few countries that have enacted laws to implement the International Convention on Biodiversity. In 2017, the Bangladesh Parliament passed the Bangladesh Biological Diversity Act. Bangladesh has declared more than 5 percent of its territory and about 5 percent of its maritime area as at risk and protected.

Every living thing has the full right to survive on this earth. This idea was recognized in the 1992 United Nations Declaration on the Nature of the World. So it is the duty of each and every one of us to save the life of every species. This requires taking necessary measures and making people aware of the importance of conservation of biodiversity across the world.
 
The writer is a banker and columnist


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