Two landmark laws were enacted to safeguard forests and wildlife

Two landmark ordinances relating to Bangladesh’s forest, biodiversity and wildlife conservation have been approved.

The approval was given at the meeting of the Council of Advisers held at the Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) in Dhaka on Thursday.

The ordinances are “Forest and Tree Conservation Ordinance, 2025” and “Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Ordinance, 2025”, said a press release of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Forest Act of 1927, which has guided forest management for nearly a century, is no longer adequate considering current environmental challenges, climate change impacts, population growth, urban expansion, illegal encroachment, and forest degradation.

To address these issues, the new Forest and Tree Conservation Ordinance, 2025, has been formulated. The ordinance incorporates provisions for natural forest protection, securing forest boundaries and records, safeguarding traditional rights of ethnic minority communities, preventing illegal encroachment through advanced monitoring systems, restoring degraded forests, controlling invasive species, and updating lists of protected and permissible tree species.

The Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Ordinance, 2025, has been introduced due to implementation challenges of the Wildlife Act, 2012, and evolving international obligations. The new ordinance strictly prohibits and penalises wildlife poaching, killing, trafficking, and commercial use.

It ensures protection of wildlife habitats, provides special safeguards for endangered species, and outlines measures for wildlife rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, scientific research, training, awareness building, and promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife. It also proposes the establishment of a Wildlife Trust Fund to support these initiatives. In addition, the ordinance encourages participation of experts, local communities, academic institutions, and volunteer organisations.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the passage of the two ordinances marks a transformative step in protecting Bangladesh’s forest resources, biodiversity and wildlife.

She expressed that these legal reforms would strengthen ecological safeguards and would contribute to ensuring a healthier natural environment for future generations.