World Migratory Bird Day Event 2019 in Bangladesh © Sher-e-Bangla Agricultutal University and Bangladesh Biodiversity Conservation Federation

Event title:
World Migratory Bird Day Event 2019 in Bangladesh

Organizer:
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh Biodiversity Conservation Federation (BBCF), Nature Conservation Society and Bangladesh Forest Department; Supporters: IUCN Bangladesh, Muktir Bondon, Birds Clubs, Zoological Society of Bangladesh and Prokriti O Jibon Foundation

Participants:
About 5,500 participants from national and regional government agencies, local communities, researchers, students, teachers and media persons

Outcome:

• raised awareness of local communities, researchers, students, teachers, media persons and law enforcement agencies about present status of migratory birds, their habitats and threats.
• Aware local people about plastic pollution and their effects on birds’ conservations
• Encouraged local people to protect migratory birds, their habits and remove their conservation threats
• Aware law enforcement agencies and policymakers regarding appreciate laws and regulations to reduce threats to migratory birds’ conservation
• Aware local people and community people about migratory birds’ flying routes, their ecology and flying season to reduce spatio-temporal factors affecting migratory birds’ conservation in Bangladesh.

Encouraged school going children about bird’s conservation in Bangladesh.

Summary:

On May 11, 2019, Bangladesh celebrated World Migratory Bird’s Day across the country, to raise national level awareness for migratory birds’ conservation in Bangladesh. With the theme “Protect birds: Be the solution to plastic pollution”, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh Biodiversity Conservation Federation (BBCF), Nature Conservation Society and Bangladesh Forest Department hosted the programme in Capital City Dhaka. IUCN Bangladesh, Muktir Bondon, Birds Clubs, Zoological Society of Bangladesh and Prokriti O Jibon Foundation were the prime collaborator and sponsor for migratory bird’s day celebration in capital city Dhaka. The programme was started with rally from different university, colleges to National press club where main discussion season were held. Begum Habibun Nahar, Member of Parliaments Bangladesh and Deputy Minister under ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change attend the programme as chief guest while Mr. Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury, Secretary from same ministry were special guest. Mr. Zahir Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forest, Bangladesh Forest Department presided over the seasons along with special guest from other participating organizations. Around 500-600 participants attended the programme from school, college, university, NGOs, Media personnel, Law enforcement Agencies and policy makers from Capital City Dhaka. Three main scientific presentations like Migratory Birds Conservation in Bangladesh, Biodiversity of wetland of Bangladesh, Effect of plastic pollution in bird’s conservation were presented by Professor Mustafa Firoze, Jahangir Nagar University, Professor Neamul Naser from Dhaka University and Enam Al Haque from Bangladesh Birds Club. Speakers gave emphasis to reduce use of plastic pollution, protection of wet-land and flying pathways along with national and international level awareness for migratory birds’ conservations. Speakers also gave emphasis to do required research and law enforcement to resolve threats of migratory birds’conservations. The discussion season came in an end with the delivery of snacks to the participants and thank you notes from the president of that programme.

Along with the programme in Dhaka world migratory birds’ day were also celebrated in 11 places of nine major birds’ prone districts of Bangladesh. Sher E Bangla Agricultural University and BangladeshBiodiversity Conservation Federation (BBCF) were the main host where Muktir Bondon, Save the Nature, Save Wildlife, Colonbil Jiboboicitro Songrokkon Komiti, Manush Manusher Jonno, Team for Energy and Environmental Research (TEER), Govt. Azizul Haque College Bogra and BBCF distract committee of respective districts were the supportive organizers of local events. Local events were comprised with essay competition, school quiz, rally and discussion in respective districts. Around 450 participants for each district totalling 4,500 participants were attended in local events from school, college, media, local NGOs, law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh. In line with national events in Dhaka speakers and presenter gave emphasis on plastic, awareness, law enforcement and habitatprotection for migratory bird’s conservation across the world.

Finally, we can say that it was a really nice, vibrant and participatory programme in combination of participants from different level to raise voices and concern about migratorybirds’ conservation in Bangladesh. In every programme participant and speakers gave thanks to organizer specially EAAMB and WMMB for their support and initiatives to make people aware in the region regarding migratory bird’s conservation.

For more photographs, visit our Flickr album.

Footage of news report on the World Migratory Bird Day activities in Bangladesh