Appraisal of domestic and international legal institutions for promoting wildlife conservation in Bangladesh

Wildlife conservation is a big challenge for a developing country like Bangladesh. The present study claims that Bangladesh still lacks administrative, legislative, and technological capacities to protect and conserve biodiversity. This study finds that a great variety of wild animals and species is now under threat in Bangladesh due to factors like forest land grabbing, habitat destruction, human activities near the forests, human-animal interactions, illegal poaching and trafficking, excluding local communities in conservation process, socio-economic and political issues, and external problems like the refugee crisis and trans-border animal migration. In this paper, it is found that environmental crimes, specifically illicit wildlife crimes, have been increasing in Bangladesh in recent years, despite several legislations, including the prominent Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012 (hereafter Wildlife Act 2012) and many international treaties, agreements, conventions, and protocols. To fully bear its responsibility to protect wildlife and conserve biodiversity, the author analyzes the role of the government through policy-making and implementation and the function of international institutions. Realizing the challenges in protecting wildlife and conserving biodiversity in Bangladesh, the author briefly points out the mitigation policies of the neighboring countries. The study data are based on reviewing existing literature, law and policy and referring to various international treaties and conventions.