2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

Environmental Education for Sustainability
in Bangladesh
Masudul Hoq Chowdhury*

Introduction
Bangladesh is located between 20°34´ and 26°88´north latitude and 80°1´ and 92°41´ east longitudes with an area of
143,998 square kilometers and a population of approximately 113 million. It is bordered on the west, north, and east by India,
in the southeast by Burma and in the south by the Bay of Bengal. Except for the hilly regions in the north east and south
east the whole country consists of low and flat land formed mainly by the great Gunges and Bramaputra River system.
Bangladesh is faced with rampant poverty, high population density, and an increasing population, recurring natural
disasters and dwindling natural resources. It is one of the poorest of the developing countries with a low resource
base, a very low land man ration, which is threatened by both natural hazard and anthropogenic mismanagement andoverexploitation. The vast majority of the population is amongst the poorest in the world and lives almost exclusively on thenatural resource base. However this resource base is under serious threat and environmental planning is necessary to signal
any hope for survival with dignity and sustainability.
Development in a developing country like Bangladesh primarily aims to provide its people with enough food and basic
shelter. Here the quality of life is not envisaged as the improvement of the quality of the environment. A major threat to thenatural environment in Bangladesh originates from its over-use of some of its natural resources for a subsistent livelihood.
Bangladesh is a least developed country which is characterized by• Persistence of poverty at high levels• Proneness of sudden destitution of substantial number of people due to natural hazards• Low level of human capability development• Low per capita income• Increasing and glaring socio-economic inequality• Extreme high un-and under employment• Low-level productivity in agriculture, industry and other sections• Very limited export base
• Very low land-man ratio
Major Environmental Issues in Bangladesh
Population growth and human activities have an impact on natural environment. Industrialization, overexploitationof natural resources, waste disposal, pollution of land, air and water, unplanned development of infrastructure, loss of
biodiversity, all contribute to the deterioration of natural environment and resources in Bangladesh. Most of Bangladesh's
tropical forest and almost all flood plains have been affected by human activities that are particularly detrimental to thenatural resource base.
* United Nations University㧙 㧙2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

Facts about Environment• The forest habitat is less than 6% of total land area and is declining rapidly.
• Water extraction upstream in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Tibet greatly reduces dry season water flows.
• Rapid expansion of dry season irrigation for rice cultivation has resulted in the loss of over 50% of the dry
season perennial portions of the country. Seasonal drawdown of the water table is also a problem, causing sometube wells to run dry.
• There is lack of effective protection for environmentally critical areas contributing to a reduction in biodiversity.
• There is limited or no participation by local communities in resource use decision making.
• Inadequate information on the status and functioning of critical ecosystem has lead to poor environmental
policies.
• Once natural resources are degraded, there is limited opportunity for alternative income activities.
• Public awareness of environmental issues are limited.
• There is a lack of Skilled personnel trained in sustainable management of renewable natural resource.
• The aquatic and floodplain ecosystem continue to be severely degraded. The (perennial) wetland habitats andecosystem have lost larger water bodies (rivers and canals) due to siltation and landfilling for agriculture andhomestead use.
• Massive deforestation has also taken place, with negative consequences for both diversity and production oftropical forest resources.
• Diversity of fish species and fish catch has decreased, reducing the income of the very poor who depend on fish
for livelihood.
• Reduction of forest biodiversity and production has negatively affected food, fodder, medicine and shelter forpoor people.
Source: www.usaid.gov
Environmental Regulations and Management in Bangladesh
At the official level a Ministry of Environment and Forests and an upgraded Department of Environment (DOF)
have been formed. The Environmental Pollution Control Ordinance of 1977, the Environmental Policy of 1992 andthe Environmental Conservation Act of 1995 are strong moves towards a quality system of Environmental protection.
Bangladesh introduced its first Environmental Policy in May 1992, with the following objectives
1. Maintain ecological balance and the overall development of the country through conservation and improvement of
the environment
2. Protect the country from natural disasters
3. Identify and regulate all activities which pollute and degrade the environment
4. Ensure sustainable, long term and environment-friendly use of all natural resources and5. Remain actively associated with international environmental initiatives to the greatest extent possible.
Environmental Education (EE) in Bangladesh
In order to create awareness of the importance of conservation of the natural environment, action is needed at various
levels and in various modes. Among the different levels, are the national policy makers, community leaders, professionalsof various disciplines; teachers, students and youth groups; women, cooperators, religious leaders and other special groups;㧙 㧙2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminarpeasants and so on. In terms of the mode of dissemination, the awareness programs may be a part of the formal educational
curriculum; these may also be part of informal programs and delivered through other communication media.
The first environmental policy has the following provisions with regard to education and public awareness.
• Empower people through education by eradicating illiteracy and developing the country• Create mass awareness regarding environmental conservation and improvement, and sustainable, long term andenvironmentally sound utilization of all• Ensure the inclusion and dissemination of environmental knowledge and information in the formal systems ofeducation and media• Induce spontaneous and direct participation of people in all environmental activities and• Incorporate environmental issues into all government and non-government training programs and into training
programs for industrial and commercial workers.
In pursuit to the provisions of the Environmental Policy in the education sector, the Environmental Action Plan
recommended the actions presented in the Table-1.
Sector: Education and Mass AwarenessImplementing Agency

1. The Ministry of Environment and Forest will implement• Ministry of Environment and Forest

a five-year integrated plan for mass awareness of the• Ministry of Education

environment. The Ministries of Information and of• Ministry of Information

Education will provide support and assistance
2. Curricula related to the environment will be included at all• Ministry of Educationlevels of education and in all training programs
3. To create awareness, the participation of Imams (religious• Ministry of Religion

teachers), teachers and leaders of all religious, social and• Islamic Foundation

voluntary organization will be ensured• Ministry of Social Welfare• Ministry of Education

Source: Farooque Mohiuddin and S. Hassan Rizwana. (1996)
Environmental Education in Formal Education
The introduction of EE was started in Bangladesh following the Qudrat -i-Khuda Commission Report of 1974, which
led to the introduction of new curricula and syllabuses for various stages of school education by 1978. In this new syllabus
Environmental Studies was introduced at the primary and secondary stage in place of the earlier science and social studies.
The main principles according to which the syllabus of Environmental Education for the primary stage that was
prepared were the following (Sharafuddin:1991)
1. The pupils should be able to observe and know their immediate environment and develop a scientific attitude
towards solving their everyday problems
2. The study of separate subjects like Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, History and Social Studies do
not help pupils to learn about the wholeness of the environment, thus an integrated subject would be more usefuland
3. Knowledge about the proper use of environmental resources and a sound understanding of how conservation ofthese resources is essential for the maintenance of human life and civilization.
EE is provided in both formal and non-formal schools. All government and registered non-government schools follow㧙 㧙2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

the national curriculum. NGOs working with the government projects and programs in the educational sector also follow thenational curriculum. There are also some NGOs who have their own curriculum.
The subject matter of Environmental Education from Primary to Secondary level of education has the following
sequence:
In Grade 1-2 it is taught orally without any prescribed book (a guide book is followed by teacher in all schools).
Students are taught about the family environment, food, clothes, shelter, domestic animals, and birds of the surroundings
environment. In addition they are also taught about lesson includes living and non-living objects in the local environment,
the need for a neat and clean environment and the relationship between health, hygiene and the environment.
In Grade 3-5, the subjects are divided into two parts, Environmental Studies (Science) and Environmental Studies(Society). Environmental Studies (Science) teaches, rudimentary knowledge of the earth, the solar system and theuniverse, the inanimate and the animate worlds, man and environment, preservation of the environment, food, nutrition andpopulation, agricultural development in Bangladesh, and the various natural resources of Bangladesh. Environmental Studies(Society) teaches about the social environment, region and regional environment, people's lives in different environment,
environment and living conditions, change of environment and people's lives. Similar topics are continued in the secondary
stage of education.
Higher Education
There are public and private Universities and colleges for higher education in Bangladesh. Many colleges teach Botany
and Zoology at the Bachelor level where Ecology is a part of these subjects. Ecology is also included as a topic in a four year
Honours course following Grade 12. All the major universities of the country have included ecology as a topic in botany,
zoology and geography. At the postgraduate level, Ecology is compulsory in Botany and Zoology departments. There are also
courses on Environmental Management and Perception and Resource Management and Environment at the M.Sc. level in
different Universities.
There are a number of research organizations in Bangladesh have developed research capabilities in the field ofenvironment. Among these are:• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC),• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)• Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)• Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)• Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)• Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS)• Institute of Forestry• Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR)• Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO)
Non-formal Education
In Bangladesh, there are several institutions under the aegis of the government which undertake program for ruraldevelopment. Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), Local
Government Engineering Department (LGED), Department of Cooperatives (DOC), and Rural Development Academy(RDA), are all directly involved in rural development. There are some other important government organizations that are㧙 㧙

2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

related to rural development these include Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries (BSCIC), Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Water Development Board(BWDB), Department of Social Services (DSS), Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC), Department ofYouth (DY), Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC), amd Bangladesh Sericulture Board (BSB).
These institutions play an important role in sustainable development through which poverty alleviation with environmental
concerns can be achieved.
Non-government Organization
NGO activities in regard to the development of self-reliant organizations within the rural poor also have a catalyticrole to play in achieving sustainable development. The NGOs are encouraged to undertake program on environmental
improvement in various ways. The NGOs have been taking increasing role in creating environmental awareness among
the people and organizing various appropriate training programs for the concerned groups has been increasing. NGOs
raises awareness about health and nutrition, hygiene, safe drinking water, sustainable farming, sanitation, primary healthcare, population control, and family planning through group and community action. There are NGOs who have policies andprograms with a multi-sectoral and holistic approach to human development and their activities include institution building,human resource development, social development, capital resource development, and environmental development. Some
NGOs are also engaged in environmental training and education. NGOs mainly target disadvantaged groups who do nothave access to formal education and training institutions. Other target groups include teachers, trainers and other people
who have an interest or stake in environmental conservation. NGOs conduct EE through group discussion, non-formal
schools, community mobilizations and the mass media. Now a days NGOs are institutions capable of effectively performing
development work at the grassroots level in addition they they can also influence the Government and other institutions.
Civil Society Organizations
Various civil society organizations came up with different activity packages aiming at the protection and conservation ofenvironment. Among these are:• Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) (Environment Movement) aiming to promote public awareness and action
for the prevention of environmental degradation, mitigation of pollution and the safe protection of the environment
in Bangladesh, and influencing protection of the global environment. BAPA launched vigorous campaigns including
demonstrations, rallies and boat processions to protest against pollution of the rivers Buriganga, Turag and Balu;
Gulshan-Baridhara lake, Baragram and Ashulia water bodies. The protests were particularly directed against illegal
encroachment of water bodies and construction work such as filling up ponds, lakes, canal, rivers or wetlands. The
government has started a program to demolish the illegal structure and reduce water pollution (BAPA).
• Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), whose mission is to ensure sound and sustainableecological order in the country using legal mechanism, proper observation of vast regulatory regime on theenvironment and to make people aware of their environmental rights and duties. BELA conducts its EE activities
through training, workshops, information dissemination on environmental regulation through the media, legislative
advocacy, documentation and publications (BELA).
Mass MediaThe electronic media like Radio Bangladesh and Bangladesh Television and the print media such as news papers,㧙 㧙2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

periodicals, and journals are playing a very significant role in environmental education programs. Environmental education
programs are regularly aired by the electronic media. Media provides the information related to natural calamities such as
floods and cyclones, land erosion, water pollution, deforestation, industrial effluent, destruction of wild life, green houseeffects, biodiversity and the like.
People's Traditional Knowledge
Uses of traditional knowledge have been long in practice in agricultural farming in rural Bangladesh. A large number ofpeople in the country have had no access to go through a process of formal education; they have been using their traditional
wisdom to cope with environmental problems. In many parts of the country traditional methods of farming, fishing, healthcare and other technologies based on age old experience have been practiced among the rural farming community. These
kinds of traditional knowledge and technologies are usually based on environment friendly farm practices.
Agricultural farm practices in Bangladesh have for long depended on the basis of versified words of wisdom called
Khonar Bachan (Sayings of Khona, a mythological wise lady. Some consider Khona to be an imaginary person, her sayings
symbolizing folk wisdom based on centuries of farming practices (Newaz). One of Khona's sayings is as follows: Mager mati
heerer kati, Falguner mati shona; Choiteyr mati jemon temon, Baishakher mati mona. It means that, the best time to start
preparation of soil for cultivation is the month of Maghe (mid-January to mid-February); the month of Fulguna (mid-February
to mid-March) is also quite good; Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) is so so, but the soil is no longer suitable in Baishakh(mid-April to mid-may).
There are many such sayings on the effect of weather on crops. For example, "Diney rode, rate jol / Tatey barey dhannerbol" which means, if there is sunshine during the day and rain at night, it would give a good rice harvest.
There are some other types of folk saying and folk remedies that relate to health care, protection of crops andconservation of natural resources, such as, local Neem trees (Azadirachta indica) that are used for health care. Neem andBiskatali (Polygonum sp.) is used in different parts of the country for protecting food grains from pests during storage.
(Sharafuddin and Rahman: 1994).
It may be useful to compile this kind of folk wisdom and make good use of them to educate the common people about
conservation of nature and the environment.
Conclusion
Though various governmental and non-governmental organizations have been trying to promote and foster
environmental education, the overall achievements have not been satisfactory so far. One of the EE problems in the formal
education system is the lack of supplementary reading materials for the pupils as well as of appropriate Audio-visual aids toteaching. The existing curriculum is book knowledge-based and examination orientated. There is also a lack of vertical andhorizontal integration of curriculum components. School children do not have the opportunity to develop skills to analyseand evaluate local or national environmental problems or issues. It is very often EE is not a priority especially when the
curriculum is overcrowded, even many teachers, students and parents do not perceive it as a priority in the curriculum.
The status of EE that has been performed by the informal sector is not satisfactory either. The print media likenewspapers, journals, and magazines do not have wider circulation because of the high rate of illiteracy and it is also costly
to acquire them on the part of the common people. EE related programs are given inadequate time by the electronic media.
Though the national TV channel does show drama, film show, and documentaries on environmental issues, it has very
limited coverage among the common people as there there is a lack of power supply in many parts of the country and also㧙 㧙

2004 UNESCO/JAPAN Asia Pacific Environmental Education Research Seminar

many people cannot afford to buy a TV.
The mass media with the most potential in Bangladesh is the radio, which sends development messages to every
corner of the country. Most of the people own and listen radios, but the broadcasting programs are not related to EE issues
enough. Moreover there are not any established systems to get feed back on effectiveness of the programs. More effective
program should be developed and sponsored for electronic media.
Lack of coordination amongst respective organization is a very common problem in Bangladesh. Many ministries ordepartments adopt their individual policies and programs to pursue their own mandate without any collective efforts andbecause of this there is duplication or competition between the actors. Unavailability of data and information on EE related
issues also hamper the activities of environmental educators and facilitators.
Though the existing EE programs do not seem to be good enough, but the future looks promising. The awareness ofthe environmental problems grew in the country at all levels and in all sectors. Bangladesh observed 1990 as the "year ofenvironment" and the decade of 1991-1999 had been observed as the "Decade of the Environment". Bangladesh has also
signed various International Conventions and Protocols concerning the environment and adopted policies for environmental
conservations, protection, and enhancement. The government banned the export of frog legs as well as killing of all
kinds of wild birds and animals as a step towards the preservation of the natural environment and ecological balance. The
Government has also recently banned on the production, marketing and use of polythene shopping bags throughout thecountry. Recognizing the air pollution in Dhaka city, Two Stroke Engine Vehicles (TSEV) and old and defective vehicles has
been withdrawn from the city street. These are some of the indications of the positive interest of the government and thepeople in environmental protection and development. It is hoped that these steps will bring desirable results in the future insustaining precious natural resources of Bangladesh.
References
Ahmed Salehuddin (1996): Environment and Development, Rural Development in Bangladesh, Strategies andExperiences, Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Kotbari, Comilla, Bangladesh
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), http://www.bapa.info/conten/
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), http://www.sdnpbd.org/sia/partners_profile/bela
Farooque Mohiuddin and Hasan Rizwana S. (1996). Laws Regulating Environment in Bangladesh
IGES (2002), Regional Strategy on Environmental Education in the Asia-Pacific, Environmental Education Project,
Institute of Global Environmental Strategies, Kanagawa, Japan
Sharafuddin M.A. (1991), Towards Sustainable Development Environmental Awareness and Education in Bangladesh.
Ministry of Environment and Forest and IUCN. Bangladesh
Sarkar Sanwar Hossain (2001): Status Reports, Bangladesh, Environmental Education in the Asia-Pacific Region,
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Kanagawa, Japan
Sharafiuddin A.M. and A. Atiq Rahman (1994), Environmental Education and Awareness, Environment andDevelopment in Bangladesh, (Part-1) University Press Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh㧙 㧙