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Taking the Stake ...

conservation meetings to draw attention of the world. Later, in 1982 in
continuation of that meeting, urged for the inclusion of marine and coastal
ecosystems/environmental sites into the worldwide network of protected areas
(Gubbay,1996). UNEP Aichi declaration called for, “By 2020, at least 17 per cent
of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas,
specially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services,
are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically
representative and well-connected systems” (UNEP, 2010). This
conservation/protection can take number of forms/terms according to the
requirements like Wildlife Sanctuary, National Park, Special Biodiversity Area
like Ratargul Swamp forest of Sylhet, Vulture Safe Zone, Ecopark, Botanical
Garden and special park etc (BFD Website accessed on 13 Feb 2019).
In addition to the Aichi declaration, United Nations Convention on Law of
the Sea (1982) (UNCLOS) made an article as an obligation for conservation of
the marine environment on coastal country (Karim, 2011, Rahman, 2017). As
Bangladesh is a party to the UNCLOS, it is binding on the country to comply
with its convention (UNTC, websites). According to Article 61(2) of UNCLOS
every coastal country is responsible for conservation and management measures
against overexploitation including maintenance or restoration of harvested
species of marine living resources in the zones under its Jurisdiction. Bangladesh
is also a signatory to several other international instrument/treaties stating
responsibilities for conservation of marine resources, like the Convention on
Biological Diversity (1992), the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1975) and the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands of International Importance (1971). All these conventions stated
obligations, responsibilities and duties on Bangladesh to conserve the marine
biodiversity and environment (Karim & Uddin, 2019).
While addressing the requirement of protection of marine living resources
and in line with international call, government of Bangladesh declared the
country’s first ever Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Swatch of No Ground
known as SoNG-MPA on 3 November 2014 to safeguard dolphins, sharks,
whales, sea turtles and other oceanic species under the Wildlife (Conservation
and Security) Act, 2012 (Karim & Uddin, 2019, IUCN Website, 07 November
2014)). The wild life further includes Irrawaddy, pink river, bottlenose, spinner
and spotted dolphins; finless porpoise; fin, humpback, sperm, dwarf sperm, killer

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