Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 26, 2026: Bangladesh has called for greater involvement of local communities in protecting rangelands and promoting sustainable land management, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said.
He made the call at a ministerial dialogue titled “Restoration of Rangelands and the Well-being of Pastoralist Communities” at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar.
The minister stressed the need to protect public and community-owned lands while strengthening the economic capacity of rural communities.
He said Bangladesh does not have vast rangelands in the conventional sense, but livestock plays an important role in the rural economy and livelihoods. Agricultural fields after harvest, fallow land, chars, wetlands and roadside areas are commonly used for livestock grazing. The livestock sector contributes around 2% to the country’s GDP and supports the livelihoods of millions of people.
However, growing population pressure and competing land uses are steadily reducing grazing areas, particularly in coastal regions. Mintoo called for mapping and protecting community and public grazing lands, stronger cooperation between local administrations and communities, and simpler mechanisms for resolving land-use conflicts.
Highlighting the importance of wetlands and flood-prone areas, he said these ecosystems help maintain soil fertility, regulate water, conserve biodiversity and store carbon. Livestock production and environmental protection should therefore be integrated rather than treated as competing priorities in national land-use planning.
Citing the example of Tanguar Haor, the minister said community-based management has produced positive results in conserving biodiversity and natural resources. However, he stressed that such initiatives require sustained financing and long-term commitment to remain effective.
Mintoo said Bangladesh plans to further integrate sustainable rangeland and common-land management into its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, National Adaptation Plan, and national roadmap for combating land degradation, drought and desertification.
He also called for adequate financing, accountability and practical measures to support rangeland restoration and sustainable land management.
Bangladesh, he said, is ready to share its experiences with other countries while learning from successful approaches elsewhere.
Ministers, deputy ministers and heads of delegations from various countries attended the ministerial dialogue.
