Madhyanagar Chatra kollan parishad, Sylhet(MCKP)

MCKP was established in 2001 as an effort to unite the Madhyanagarian students studying at different institutions in Sylhet. MCKP works to establish and strengthen Madhyanagar-Sylhet educational and cultural Network. Bridging the gap between Sylhet and Madhyanagar by combining the resources and talents of many, MCKP tries to observe different national and social development events that fit with its objectives. One of its special activities is to assist new Madhyanagarian students in various aspects that can provide congenial study atmosphere for them. If you think that you can contribute to MCKP towards its goal, feel free to contact us.....  New committee for 2010-11

Madhyanagar Student Association, SUST(MSA)

Education based seminar

MSA established in 2009. It is a social organisation. There are many Madhyanagar students study in Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet  in the various department. They are member of MSA. MSA organised a education seminar in the last year at Madhyanagar. Md. Nabi Hussain elected present and Vupendra  Sarkar general scretary  for this year.

Chamordani High School

A lot of hopes and dreams, some enterprising young matching chamodani lower secondary school was established in 1993. Teachers and a few students, only 7 out of the Chamordani lower secondary school. Haoraparera to spread the light of education among the children of the great missions of the teachers are still working.

Teacher's  with Student's in front of new building of chamordani school  

New building of Chamordani High School

Establishment History of Chamordani High School:

Mr. Ghulam Jilani time in the establishment of the local region through the appointment of Mr. uddyoge Comprehensive School started on 01/01/1993 ENG. Beautiful environment for school needs, donors and local government primary school near the chamordani rather than through preaching to the owner of the land from its inception in 1995, over 1 acre of land in the name of the school and other official acts of the accounts since the bank began. 01/01/1996, as in the prior and junior sikrti gain. 15/04/1999 AD on the MPO until Junior is bookmarked. 01/01/005 to be the ninth since the start of the study and the country is under the jurisdiction of the Board. In the first phases of the class, and 007 participated in the SSC exam and 01/01/009 from the date of inception as a recognized secondary school. Secondary level, 06/05/010 MPs from the date of inception is enrolled. The school was already full extent.

Since the establishment, the school adhering to the persons directly or indirectly in different walks of life are contributing significantly to the development of the school.

In the midst of all the people that contributed to the state level, especially former Member of Parliament, Honorable Mr. Nazir Hussain Sahib / Mr. Syed Rafiqul Huq and is currently in charge of Mr. Hossain, MP, Mr. Ratan.

Madhyanagar B.P. High School & College

The school district in the Sylhet district Dharmapasha Maddhanagar Union No. 03, located in oryade Maddhanagar. 6th class XII education institutions have introduced.
 

Madhyanagar B.P. High School, College Section

History:

Kishore Roy Chowdhury landed Gouripur Brojendra mahalayera school was established in the name of the parent bisbesbari Chaudhurani. In 1954, the high school was recognized. In 1995, the college is allowed to branch. the haor downstream of the town inhabited by people the opportunity to receive education.

Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Program2

Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor (Phase 2) The Tanguar Haor is located in the Sunamganj District (North-East of Bangladesh). It includes a unique ecosystem, supporting 150 varieties of fishes, more than 100 resident birds and around 200 species of wetland flora. It is the breeding ground for fish which is an essential resource for food security and economic development in the entire region. The Tanguar Haor is highly important for the livelihoods of 88 villages adjacent to the perimeter supporting about 56’000 people.
The objectives of the Second Phase :
A co-management system is established and functional for conservation, stabilisation and sustainable use of the natural resources of Tanguar Haor that generates opportunities for significant improvements in the livelihoods in the rural communities of the Haor area.

How does the project work:

The main approach of the project is a co-management system, run by the 3 key actors (share-holders):

a) the State, represented by MoEF (Ministry of Environment & Forest)
b) Local Governments
c) the Communities in the Tanguar Haor

50 village groups and 4 Union ad hoc Committees (UACs) were created in order to represent the communities in the co-management discussions with the Tanguar Haor Management Committee which is chaired by the District Commissioner of Sunamganj.

Expected Outcomes
• Communities have the capacity to negotiate, manage and use the natural resources for better livelihood, addressing specifically the needs of poorest and women.
• A well functioning co-management body composed of the state, local government and communities manages the Tanguar Hoar following the wise use principle of Ramasar.
• Policy support is established at the national, regional and local level for up-scaling and for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the co-management system for Tanguar Haor.
Whom do we work with :

Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) of the Government of Bangladesh is the principle executing agency; it delegated the implementation of the project to the Bangladesh office of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The Swiss Foundation for Development and International Cooperation / Intercooperation (IC) supports the project as backstopper in the area of community mobilisation and market approaches. Two local NGOs are mandated by IUCN with the implementation at field levels, and the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) works on the establishment of the legal frame for the co-management system.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):

The World Conservation Union is the world largest and most important conservation network. It supports and develops cuttingedge conservation science; links both research and results to local, national, regional and global policy by convening dialogues between governments, civil society and the private sector. In its projects, the Union applies sound ecosystem management to conserve biodiversity and builds sustainable livelihoods for those directly dependent on natural resources. SDC began partnership with IUCN Bangladesh in 2006. IUCN works on wetlands and waterbodies, Chittagong Hill Tracts and coastal and marine issues.

Intercooperation:

Intercooperation is a Swiss foundation specialised in international development cooperation. Its principal working domains are: natural resource management, rural economy, and local governance ad civil society. Intercooperation has projects in more than 20 countries, including Bangladesh. SDC has been working with Intercooperation since 2000.

Achievements:

According to a mid term review in March 2008, the project made satisfactory progress during the 1st phase (inception), it has a pro-poor focus and starts to produce benefits, employment and income opportunities to the population in the remote area of the Haor by facilitating a reasonable (sustainable) use of the natural resources.

Budget:

1.82 million Swiss Francs for the period of March 2009 to February 2012 (Phase 2).

Contacts:

IUCN Bangladesh
House 11, Road 138, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212
Tel : 9890395, 9890423, 9892854
E-mail : info@iucnbd.org
Website : www.iucn.org/bangladesh

Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Program

01 January 2006 | Project - Description

Tanguar Haor is a unique wetland ecosystem in Bangladesh which has both national and global significance.

The Tanguar Haor has been declared as the second Ramsar site (Wetland of International Importance) in 2000 to signify its global value. Prior to the declaration, understanding its critical condition due to overexploitation the Government has declared Tanguar Haor as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) in 1999. Due to its status as an ECA and Ramsar site, the Government (represented here by Ministry of Environment and Forest) has been keen to put in place a community based management system in Tanguar Haor.

Bird of tanguar haor

The major obstacle for initiating a community based management was the ownership of Tanguar Haor and leasing system for its fisheries resources. It was owned by the Ministry of Land and short term lease was to be given to the highest bidder. In 2001, ownership of TH was transferred to MoEF and subsequently the lease system was banned effectively.
Under the National Conservation Strategy Implementation Project -1 (NCSIP-1), MoEF initiated a pilot project in TH. Under that project, a management plan developed with technical assistance from IUCN Bangladesh in 2000. In 2002, IUCN Bangladesh on behalf of MoEF has developed a proposal titled community based sustainable management of Tanguar Haor to seek donor commitment to fund the project. It was revised again in 2004. This programme proposal is a continuation of the effort of MoEF to obtain fund from donor to initiate a community based management for Tanguar Haor.

Among the donor communities, SDC has come forward and showed keen interest to support this government initiative, while other donors are more interested to see the initial results before committing for funding. Up on an official request from MoEF, IUCN Bangladesh had submitted a proposal on “Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor” to Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in August 2005. The proposal was reviewed by SDC and subsequently Mr. Peter Hislaire was appointed as an independent international consultant to appraise the context of the proposed programme. The consultant had series of meetings with the Government officials, NGO personnel and interacted with the communities living in Tanguar Haor. Based on this experience, the consultant proposed that activities in Tanguar Haor should be divided into following three stages :

Preparatory stage (18 months)
Development stage (36 to 60 months)
Consolidation stage ((36 months)

The current initiative covers only the preparatory stage.

Vision, programme scope and approach

The international conservation values of the Ramsar site guiding the vision of proposed “community based sustainable management of Tanguar Haor” programme in Sunamganj is as follows:
“A co-management body managing natural resources of entire Tanguar Haor that is responsive to livelihood needs of the concerned communities as well as ensures that the resource base is used sustainably and that Ramsar values are maintained.”

The programme aims at building the capacity of the rural communities around Tanguar Haor to share in the management of water, fisheries, forest and reed bed and other resources of Tanguar Haor for generating income from the management, harvesting and selling of these resources.

The programme shall contribute to develop a natural resource information system for Tanguar Haor that allows the management authority to monitor trends and understand the ecological dynamics is in place.
The programme shall contribute to form and functioning of a co-management body (under the district administration of Sunamganj) for the ramsar site- including representatives of local communities and MoEF and local government.

The programme shall also play a facilitative role in formulation of coordination of protection measures, natural resource extraction modalities and measures to facilitate the delivery of social and economic services.

However, for the Preparatory Stage the goal has been set as “to initiate and test a pilot co-management system for Tanguar Haor and obtain necessary policy, administrative and community support to commence a comprehensive co-management system for Tanguar Haor in future”.

Restoring Local Community Participation in Wetland Resource Management:

Tanguar haor is located at 25005' - 25012' north/91001' - 91007' East in Tahirpur and Dharmapasha Thanas (smallest government administrative units) of Sunamganj district under Sylhet Division in north eastern Bangladesh. Located at an altitude of only 2.5 - 5.5 meters above sea level, it has an area of 9727 hectares with 50 beels covering approximately 25 - 30 percent of the haor at the end of dry season.
The Author, while had been incharge of IUCN Bangladesh, was involved both in the National Conservation Strategy endorsement process and was providing technical assistance in development of the Tanguar Haor management plan.
The Initial Situation
Apart from habitat destruction, one of the main problems facing the management of most freshwater wetlands in the country is that the fisheries resources have largely fallen into the hands of the elite : wealthy and the politically well-connected. This process, whereby local fishermen are (sometimes forcefully) divorced from their resource base invariably leads to impoverishment. The process is also often linked to over-utilisation of natural resources, which is fueled by the fact that the rural poor have to make ends meet on an ever-dwindling resource base, while the elite myopically focus on making handsome profits in the short - term.
The main issues at Tanguar Haor are :
• decline of fisheries production,
• depletion of other natural resources, such as reed lands and swamp forest,
• numbers of migratory waterfowl are dropping
• increased soil erosion/siltation
• last vestiges of swamp forest are under threat
• increased non-fishery activities leading to resource depletion
• against this backdrop of declining resources, there is a growing conflict over resources between the local community and the leaseholder of the fisheries
• lack of community participation
The Change process
The Tanguar Haor Management Plan is the first attempt in Bangladesh to combine sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation in a freshwater wetland in a planned manner. The strategy of this plan is to restore participation of the local community including women in resource management on the one hand, while at the same time introducing sustainable forms of management, and investing in habitat restoration activities. The plan does not attempt to change or undermine the status quo, as this would be futile, given the existing political and economic sentiments.
The emphasis in this Management Plan has been on creating incentives for stakeholders to partake in sustainable management and conservation efforts, and on effective monitoring as the latter especially has been conspicuously deficient.

People of Tanguar Haor

Once this plan is successfully implemented and is replicated in other hoar systems throughout the country there will be a bright future for BangladeshÕs inland wetlands. One whereby natural resources benefit both local communities and the elite, and whereby the long-term survival of the unique biodiversity of these areas is guaranteed.
The key stakeholders of the Tanguar Haor resources and their management, had been, besides the i) local community and the ii) fisheries leaseholder, i) District Administration ii) Ministry of Land, iii) Department of Fisheries iv) Forestry Department v) Thana (Sub-district) Administration vi ) Water Development Board.
The key actors in bringing required change for sustainable and community based haor resource management had been : - (i) Ministry of Environment and Forest (ii) NCS Implementation Project Management (iii) IUCN (iv) District Administration (v) Local Community (vi) Department of Fisheries (vii) Department of Forest.
The major and prime mover interest in bringing about changes in the haor management had been the interest and commitment towards sustainable resource use for the benefit of the community. Ministry of Environment and Forest took the lead initiative and the implementation responsibility for bringing about change.
The Outcome
The outcome of the exercise had been the development and adoption of the Management Plan for Tanguar Haor in a participatory process, which very much involved all stakeholders including local community.
The Management Plan involves :
i. Involvement of local villagers in commercial fisheries;
ii. Providing access of local villagers to non-commercial fishing resources such as monsoonal subsistence fishing, livestock grazing, duck keeping, grass and reed collecting;
iii. Establishing regulations to limit excessive use of these natural resources (based on consensus within the community, rather than on imposition of levies or threats);
iv. Community development projects, to improve health and alleviate rural poverty;
v. Restoration of the natural environment (e.g. replanting of swamp forest and reed beds, and re-stocking of fish); and
vi. Clear-cut roles for monitoring and implementation.
The implementation of the plan in its short and medium term horizon of around five years, will pave the way for the envisaged long-term option of community-based management. The rationale-which has been generally accepted world-wide-is that local communities are likely to be the best caretakers of the environment, as it is primarily in their own interest to manage these resources sustainable.
The Management Plan aims to involve local people in the commercial fisheries, and have them regain their rightful access to other haor resources, by means of reaching a trade-off agreement with both the local community and the leaseholder. The leaseholder will be bound by a new lease agreement to involve local people in the fishery enterprise (target percentages and dates fixed) and immediately cease with the illegal withholding of access rights. In return, the leaseholder is to receive a consolidated lease agreement for the all waters in the hoar, and receive a longer lease-term.
The trade-off for the local community is that they will regain access to natural resources and benefit from a poverty-alleviation programme, in return for which they have to abide by regulations for proper resource use, and curb certain activities, such as expanding the area under rice cultivation and bird hunting/trapping. With free-access to natural resources restored to the local community, there is the threat that this already degraded system will be further over-exploited. Therefore, the local community, together with an environmental NGO and development NGO, are to develop a set of regulations for sustainable resource use.
The Development NGO and the Local Community are to jointly formulate a "Development Plan" for the villages at Tanguar Haor, aimed at poverty alleviation. Poverty alleviation will be achieved to some degree by involving local fishermen in the commercial fisheries, restoring access to other haor resources, and by establishing village fuelwood and timber plots. In addition, the programme is to include the establishing of fishponds, replanting of species (now rate or absent), construction of latrines and tubewells (at least one per village), vocational training, and provision of low-interest or interest-free loans.
Without monitoring, the Management Plan stands little hope of success. The current Management Plan therefore sets clear targets, where possible, such as hectares of percentages, plus target dates, which are verifiable indicators of achievement. Also provided is a clear set of instructions as to whom is responsible for managing which activities. Overall responsibility lies with MOEF, but there is a balanced set of checks and periodic evaluations, and clear reporting procedures, which are likely to identify any significant deviations from the plan.
Apart from the Local Community and the Fisheries Leaseholder, the following stakeholders are recognised as being principle actors in the implementation of the Management Plan :
• Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF), which is to be responsible for overall implementation of the Management Plan taking initiatives to ensure implementation by involving other ministries, and selecting suitable NGOs for assisting implementation.
• DCÕs Office/Ministry of Land (MoL), which is responsible for the issuing of the Jalmohal(waterbody) lease.
• Department of Fisheries (DoF), which is responsible for fisheries management.
• Forestry Department (FD), which is responsible for forest and wildlife management.
• National Environment NGO, which is to be involved for developing resource sue guidelines, monitoring of wildlife, training of FD field staff, and awareness campaigns.
• National Development NGO, which is to be responsible for monitoring of socio-economic activities, developing resource use guidelines, and the poverty-alleviation programme (Development Programme).
• International Environmental NGO, which is to perform external monitoring and evaluation.
• Tanguar Haor Monitoring Team (THMT), a new body which is to be chaired by the District Commissioner, Sunamganj, and include representatives from DoF, FD, MoL, and the two national NGOs
The expected impacts of the plan, once implemented, include i) sustainable management of the haor ecosystem and its natural resources to ensure equitable distribution of benefits leading also to the resources being enjoyed by future generations ii) community involvement at various stages of implementation (as it was in the case of development and adoption) in ensuring protection of their interests and the best possible care of natural resources iii) the plan to serve as a model for replication in similar situations.
The Lessons Learned
The unique thing about drawing of the management plan for Tanguar Haor, had been its being the first of such exercise and being participatory even at the grassroots level. It was a practical exercise, not an academic one and targeted for the real benefit of both the ecosystem and the stakeholders, the local community in particular.

A special report on tanguar haor

Published On: 2008-12-27
A simple matter of the environment
Farida Shaikh bores into an issue of public concern

A world heritage site, Tanguar Haor is one of the largest freshwater inland wetlands; it is important and is of national significance, was designated as the second 'Ramsar' site, and was released from the 1930 leasing system on January 20, 2000. Earlier the government of Bangladesh designated 59,600 hectares of the Sundarban Forests as the first Ramsar site.

Tanguar Haor is now managed by the district administration of Sunamganj .The Ramsar Convention proposes involving the local people in the ownership of haor resources. However, much remains to be done for the implementation of this policy.

Tanguar Haor is also significant for its biological diversity and is also 'a unique habitat for the largest number of waterfowl population in the country.'

In February 1971, the Ramsar Convention was adopted in the city of Ramsar in Iran. Its 'Wetland of International Importance' list by 2003 consisted of the names of 138 countries, with more than 1310 wetlands covering 111 million hectares. 'The broad objective of this convention was to stop the progressive encroachment and loss of wetland, to recognize the fundamental ecological process and their economic, scientific and recreational values.'

Tanguar Haor occupies an area of 100,000 hectares with nearly 46 villages, which are home to an extremely poor population. These people are the direct stakeholders of the water body. The adjacent river Patlai and Rarti flood every year before the wet season, causing damage to agricultural products. The villagers depend on the haor for fishing, grazing, farming and firewood. The haor area also provides the winter crop of rice.

The total area of the wetlands in the country has been estimated at 7-8 million hectares, consisting of 'rivers, streams, freshwater lakes and marshes including haor, baor, and beels ,cultivated fields, estuarine systems with extensive mangrove swamps.' Mostly found in the northeastern part of the country, in the greater Sylhet and Mymensingh district, it is collectively known as haor basin and covers an area of nearly 24,500 sq.km. That is about 50% of the country's land surface.

Haors are bowl-shaped depressions subjected to seasonal flooding every year and remain under water for several months. Tanguar Haor consists of nearly 50 beels of various sizes. Many are uninterrupted, in a near natural state with flood tolerant trees Hijol and Koroch.

This is a village based study to 'access the economic importance of Tanguar Haor resources' and community participation in the management of the haor. More specifically, the study makes a review of the physical conditions of the haor, importance of its biological resources and its connection to economic activities, constraints and opportunities for participation. To access future direction, the study also makes an appraisal of the implementation status of the Ramsar Declaration in comparison with national level policy and laws.

The study is distributed into 10 chapters with 9 major tables, figures and pictures to explain more. On the human resources side, Chapter 6 is on the people of Tanguar Haor, which is located in two upazillas, namely, Tahirpur and Dharmapasha. The population of the area was 18,231 in 1981, 23,395 in 1993 and is at present about 50,000-60,000 There has been outward migration of the population in the past on account of natural calamities. In recent times migration from Kishoreganj /Mymensingh to the area has been common. Predominantly the population is Muslim, with small ethnic numbers of Garo and Hajong in the northern villages of the haor area.

The chapter further elaborates on the resettlement of the local people, socio-economic profile of the respondents in terms of household size, occupational status, physical assets, land ownership and status and predicament of Tanguar Haor

People's Reliance on Wetland Resources, in chapter 7, deals with natural resources, economic activities of the local people, the annual activity calendar, dependence on Haor resources and economic potential of the area.

Community Participation in Haor Conservation, in chapter 9, is the most elaborate of the study. It deals with information sources on Haor degradation, awareness raising activities, local people's participation in conservation practices, people's interest in participation, potential nature of participation, people's activity preference, and benefits of local people's participation and constraints of local people's involvement.

A useful reading is chapter 2 on wetland; the least understood ecosystem and chapter 3 on wetlands of Bangladesh. Chapter 4 is on Tanguar Haor and its description as a diversified wetland. The closing chapter is on the major findings and possible future direction.

The bibliography consists of nearly 100 citations; of these directly related are the draft final report, 2002, Ministry of Environment; and IUCN Bangladesh 2004 report on introduction to community based Haor and Flood Management.

The Daily Star in February and September 2004 carried write-ups on Tanguar Haor. The same year the subject was covered in Prothom Alo, Daily Jugantar, Inqilab, Naya Diganta and Sangram.

The study on Tangaur Haor by the two social scientists deserves the attention of erudite readers. It is a commendable work on the environmental aspects of the country, which are the most important area of study after that of poverty alleviation. However, the study methodology applied to the survey and participatory rural appraisal turned out to be short on analysis and interpretation.

The next edition of the book may take that into consideration to further improve this useful study.

Workshop on “Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Program (CBSMTHP)”

26 February 2009, 03:30 BDT
IUCN Bangladesh Country Office organised a one-day workshop on the “Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Program (CBSMTHP)” on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at the Shurma Hall of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka.
Dhaka, 26 February 2009 (IUCN) – IUCN Bangladesh Country Office organised a one-day workshop on the “Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor Program (CBSMTHP)” on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at the Shurma Hall of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka.

IUCN Bangladesh on behalf of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) is implementing the program with financial support from Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In consideration of its global and national significance, Tanguar Haor has been declared an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) of Bangladesh, and the country’s second Ramsar site.

At the beginning, Dr. Ainun Nishat, Country Representative, IUCN Bangladesh delivered an overview of the project. He mentioned that the government is also contributing its own resources to develop a management system to ensure and improve the livelihoods of the communities who directly or indirectly depend on Tanguar Haor.

Mr. A H M Rezaul Kabir, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest was present at the workshop as the Chief Guest during the inaugural session, while Mr. Joseph Guntern, Head of Cooperation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Bangladesh was present as special guest.

In his speech, Mr. Kabir appreciated IUCN’s effort to provide technical support to develop a co-management system for Tanguar Haor.
He also mentioned that MoEF has made a groundbreaking decision approving the benefit sharing mechanism between the community people and the Government on benefits arising from resource harvest and use in the haor. This program has not only supported the conservation and regeneration of natural resources in the haor (ecology) but also ensures the sustainable and responsible use of those resources (economy and livelihoods).
He further applauded SDC for their active involvement and financial support in implementing this model initiative.

As the special guest of the event, Mr. Guntern said that the project is in line with the SDC’s goals for employment and income, and local governance domains. The project is developing the technical and life skills of community members for improving their income and participation in co-management, and in establishing their access rights to the wetland. SDC also appreciates the initiatives made by the Government of Bangladesh.

SDC hopes the newly formed Government of Bangladesh will take more initiatives to ensure this phase is fruitful. SDC will give its full support to conserve and maintain this ecologically rich area, he added.

The technical sessions of the workshop include presentations on: Institutionalization of a Ramsar Site: Experience and Learning in Tanguar Haor; Participatory Mapping (GIS based) of Tanguar Haor; Census of Tanguar Haor, Fish Resources of Tanguar Haor, Marketing extension experience in Tanguar Haor; Socio-economic profile of Tanguar Haor; and Legal context of co-management of wetlands in Bangladesh.

A lively discussion was held after the presentation session. Participants from different government ministries, NGOs, academics, research organizations, local representatives from the haor region and media were present at the workshop.

As the chairperson of the this event Mr. Joynal Abedin Talukder Joint Secretary (Dev.), Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) and National Project Director of this project lauded the whole process of co-management in Tanguar Haor and thanked the distinguished guests and participants for their valuable contributions in this workshop.

A charming drama was also staged at the end of the workshop performed by local people of the Tanguar Haor region.
Dr. Nishat facilitated the workshop.
For more information on the Community Based Sustainable Management of Tanguar Haor project, please contact raquib@iucnbd.org or rezaul@iucnbd.org
*** ENDS ***
Notes to editors
For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:
• Raquibul Amin , Programme Coordinator, IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
raquib iucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org/
• AFM Rezaul Karim, Project Manager, CBSMTH, IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
rezaul iucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org/

• Mahbubur Rahman Masum , IUCN Bangladesh Communications Officer, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
masum iucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org/
Photos are available at http://www.iucnbd.org/photogallery.html
More information available at: http://www.iucnbd.org/
About the World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Created in 1948, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) brings together 81 States, 120 government agencies, 800 plus NGOs, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. The Union ’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
The Union is the world's largest environmental knowledge network and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. The Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1,000 staff located in 62 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland , Switzerland .
More information can be found at http://www.iucn.org/

Dharampasha upazila

Dharampasha Upazilaধরমপাশা

Division: Sylhet

District : Sunamganj

Government:

- MP (Sunamganj-1) Moazzem Hossain Ratan (Awami League)

Area:

- Total 496.03 km2 (191.5 sq mi)

Population:
- Total 164,131

- Density:
331/km2 (857.3/sq mi)

Time zone:
BST (UTC+6)

Postal code:
2450
Dharampasha (Bengali: ধরমপাশা) is an Upazila of Sunamganj District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Geography:
Dharampasha is located at 24°54′00″N 91°01′00″E / 24.9000°N 91.0167°E . It has 28368 units of house hold and total area 496.03 km². It is located on the banks of the Kangsha River close to the haor areas.The largest haor of Bangladesh called "Tanguar Haor" is located in this upazilla and its neighbouring upazilla Tahirpur.This haor is one of the world heritage sites.

Demographics:
As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Dharampasha has a population of 164131. Males constitute are 51.41% of the population, and females 48.59%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 80347. Dharampasha has an average literacy rate of 20.8% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

Administrative:
Dharampasha has 10 Unions/Wards, 182 Mauzas/Mahallas, and 313 villages.

School and Colleges:
1. Dharampasha Janata High School (oldest one)
2. Dharampasha Girls School
3. Dharampasha Degree College
4. Dharampasha Model Primary School
5. Badshaganj Public High School
6. Badshaganj Degree College
7. Khoda-Box Public High school
8. Joysree High School, Joysree
9. Modhyanagar B.P. High School and College
10.Bongshikonda Momin High School
11.Moheskhola High School
12.Camardani High School
13.Patkura Govt. Primary School
14.Rouha Govt. primary School