On April 19, a discussion titled “Government Wetland Management Policy 2009: Discrimination and Mismanagement in the Haor Region” was held at the National Press Club, organized by DHORA. The event was chaired by Rasheda K. Choudhury, Convenor of DHORA, and moderated by Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of the platform. A presentation highlighting the existing discrimination and mismanagement in the Haor region was delivered by Abdul Haye Chowdhury, Director of Associates for Innovative Research and Development (AIRD) Ltd.
Special guests included Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Dr. Mujibur Rahman Howlader, former Chairman of the National River Protection Commission. Other speakers were Pavel Partha, Sajal Kanti Sarkar, Zakia Shishir, Advocate Farid Uddin Ahmed, and Dr. M. Mokhlesur Rahman, along with victims from the Haor region Md. Allad Khan and Ms. Anjana Rani Bishwas sharing personal accounts.
The Chief guest, Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Farida Akhter called for the abolition of the haor leasing system, stating that Haors belong to the local communities, not the government. She criticized the fragmentation of control over Haors by various ministries and highlighted ongoing poverty in the region. She also called for a ban on illegal Chinaduari nets, which harm the ecosystem, and advocated for biological management and sanctuary declarations to protect endangered species.
Victims from Haor areas emphasized that leases are often awarded to politically powerful individuals rather than genuine fishers, and urged the government to ensure fair access to Haor resources for local fishers and farmers.
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