Administration issues 13-point guidelines to protect Tanguar Haor

In a move to preserve the ecological balance and biodiversity of one of Bangladesh’s most important wetlands, the Sunamganj district administration has issued a 13-point directive for tourists visiting Tanguar Haor.

The set of guidelines, published in a photo card on the administration's official Facebook page at 9.00am on Saturday (June 20), outlines both restrictions and best practices for responsible tourism in the region.

The instructions prohibit activities that could harm the haor’s fragile ecosystem, including playing or listening to loud music, discarding plastic or inorganic waste, fishing, hunting birds or collecting their eggs, disturbing wildlife, using detergents or chemicals in the water, cutting trees, entering protected areas, and dumping organic waste.

Visitors are instead encouraged to follow designated waterways, wear life jackets, minimize plastic use, observe birds and animals from a distance, take non-intrusive photos (without flash), hire local guides and services, and avoid lighting campfires or open flames.

Tanguar Haor, spanning 12,655 hectares across 10 mouzas under Tahirpur and Madhyanagar upazilas, is home to 109 small and large beels (water bodies). Nestled at the base of the Meghalaya hills, it is the country’s second-largest freshwater wetland and a vital habitat for numerous bird species and aquatic life.

Recognized under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance, Tanguar Haor is also a major tourist destination. However, increased footfall has raised concerns about environmental degradation.

"The awareness and responsible conduct of tourists are essential to safeguarding the haor’s natural heritage," the administration stated, calling for collective action to ensure that tourism in the region remains sustainable and respectful of its ecological significance.