Plantlet The Blogging Platform of Department of Botany, University of Dhaka
There are 19 protected areas in Bangladesh, covering 2,458 sq. km and representing 1.68% of the land area (FD record as on July 2007). The Forest Department has the mandate for the management of these protected areas. The protected areas are declared in the country under the “Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974”. The protected areas are divided into three types.
National Parks
National Park is a relatively large area of scenic and natural beauty created for the preservation of scenery, flora, and fauna in a natural state to which access of the public for recreation and educational and research purposes is allowed. There are 10 national parks available in our country. They are:
| Name of the National Parks | Location | Area (ha) | Year of Notification |
| 1. Bhawal National Park | Gazipur | 5,022 | 1982 |
| 2. Himchari National Park | Cox’s Bazar | 1,729 | 1980 |
| 3. Lawachara National Park | Moilvibazar | 1,250 | 1996 |
| 4. Madhupur National Park | Tangail/Mymensingh | 8,436 | 1982 |
| 5. Kaptai National Park | Rangamati | 5,465 | 1999 |
| 6. Ramsagar National Park | Dinajpur | 52 | 1974 |
| 7. Nijhum Dweep National Park | Noakhali | 16,352 | 2001 |
| 8. Medha Kassapia National Park | Cox’s Bazar | 395.92 | 2004 |
| 9. Satchari National Park | Habiganj | 242.91 | 2005 |
| 10. Khadeem Nagar National Park | Sylhet | 678.80 | 2006 |
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Wildlife Sanctuary is an area closed to hunting, shooting or trapping of wild animals and maintained undisturbed for breeding of wildlife and vegetation, soil and water is protected from public interference. There are 8 wildlife sanctuaries present.
| Name of Wildlife areas | Location | Area (ha) | Year of notification |
| Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary | Chittagong | 7,761 | 1986 |
| Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary | Rangamati | 42,087 | 1983 |
| Rema- Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary | Habiganj | 1,795 | 1996 |
| Sundarbans (East) | Bagerhat | 31,227 | 1996 |
| Sundarbans (South) Wildlife Sanctuary | Khulna | 36,970 | 1996 |
| Sundarbans (West) Wildlife Sanctuary | Satkhira | 71,502 | 1996 |
| Char Kukri Mukri Wildlife Sanctuary | Bhola | 40 | 1981 |
| Fashikhali Wildlife Sanctuary | Cox’s bazar | 3,217 | 2007 |
Game Reserve
Game Reserves are created for protection of wildlife and increasing their number where capturing of wild animals is unlawful. There is only one game reserve present in our country named Teknaf Game Reserve, Cox’s Bazar which area is 11,615 ha. and notified on 1983.
(This article is completely based on the Lecture sheet provided by Dr. Md Oliur Rahman, Professor, Department of Botany, University of Dhaka.
Some pictures and info have been added by the author. Any mistake, error, misinformation and other related things found in this article is only author’s to blame)
