Envirnment X LAW

Environmental Laws of Bangladesh: Art of Overview


The Environment Conservation Act 1995

The Act tries to expedite the resolution of instances involving environmental harm. However, the functioning of the courts is hampered because people cannot approach the court directly; instead, the investigator assigned by the DG of the Department of Environment must write a report on which cognizance can be taken. The Act's goal of establishing an environment court in each district has mainly gone unfulfilled. This, as well as the failure to ensure that the employees of the environment court are adequately educated on the necessary expertise, have been impediments to the pursuit of environmental justice.


The Forest Act 1927

The Act's original intent was to control the transportation of forest products and the taxes placed on them. However, it does include safety precautions that can be used to preserve natural resources. It outlines activities that are forbidden in protected forests and sanctions violators of the rules. The Act also calls for the establishment of village woodlands, which would be a powerful means of guaranteeing individual and collective rights. Unfortunately, there has not actually been much use of this provision.


The Environment Court Act 2010

The Act tries to hasten the resolution of instances involving environmental harm. However, the inability for people to directly approach the court hinders its efficiency; instead, a report must be filed by the investigator assigned by the DG of the Department of Environment before any action can be taken. The Act's mandate to establish an environmental court in every district has generally not been carried out. Environmental justice has been hampered by this and the failure to ensure that the officers of the environmental court are adequately informed on the necessary information.


The Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012

This more recent law was enacted in order to protect the country's biodiversity, wildlife, and forests. The Act authorizes the establishment of sanctuaries, national parks, and community conservation areas, as well as the permitted activities inside such areas. The Act is notable for recognizing national heritage, memorial trees, or sacred trees while maintaining communities' traditional or cultural values and traditions. This is a significant step toward the acknowledgment of indigenous communities' rights.


The Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act 2013

This Act was passed in 2013 in order to regulate the brick production process. The Act imposes numerous limits on the locations of brick kilns, which have been criticized as being overly ambitious and, to some extent, unworkable. The Act also specifies prohibitions on the use of raw materials derived from agricultural land, a hill, or a hillock, as well as the use of wood as fuel. Regrettably, almost no compliance with these regulations can be found.


The Bangladesh Biodiversity Act 2017

The Act was passed in accordance with Article 18 (A) of the Bangladesh Constitution and international requirements under the Convention on Biodiversity. The Act governs who has access to biological resources and traditional knowledge, as well as the legal transfer of such resources and knowledge. It places the responsibility for allowing such access on the National Biodiversity Committee, which also decides on the equitable distribution of benefits derived from biodiversity, biological resources, and traditional knowledge.


Laws that indirectly address environmental concerns: