S D E B t u o Ab History of the organization Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) is a unique organization that exists to help save the endangered coastal region and to develop an atmosphere of cooperation and partnership among stakeholders with different perspectives. Established in 2010, BEDS is a non-profit, non-government, research and implementation organization. BEDS was formed to focus on a variety of interrelated problem, including global warming, natural disaster, accelerated human population growth, species/wildlife extinctions/biodiversity destructions, habitat loss, food crises, farming, fisheries, education, health, nutrition, and unemployment etc.
Vision: Preserve the local ecological balance and to improve socio-economic conditions for the poor
Mission: Establish sustainable environmental protection, wildlife / biodiversity conservation and to develop ex-situ conservation, education, health and nutrition through awareness, capacity building and research activities
Objectives: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Preserve natural treasures; Conserve biodiversity; Reduce or mitigate the impact of climate change and advance disaster risk reduction strategies; Establish human rights through good governance; and Expand women’s empowerment and equitable development for women.
Thematic areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Sustainable Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation Climate Change and Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction Human Rights and Good Governance Gender and Development
Legal Status: Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) was registered by NGO Affairs Bureau, Prime Minister Office, Government of Bangladesh and Department of Social Services, Government of Bangladesh.
Working area: All over Bangladesh priority to coastal region
Contact Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) House No. 03, Road No 20 Nirala R/A, Khulna- 9100, Bangladesh Telephone: + 88 041 721123, Mob: + 88-01712 868004 email: Skype name: beds20111 Social media: www.facebook.com/bedsbd Webpage: www.bedsbd.org (under construct)
An Organization for Excellence Nature
We are the initiator for promoting the Sundarbans Mangrove Education in Bangladesh
Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) and Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) are implementing this project subsidy of “Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program” from Toyota Motor Corporation for acquiring sufficient knowledge and positive impression on Sundarbans biodiversity and to increase knowledge of teachers, students and parents for the Sundarbans Mangrove forest conservation.
Our prime concern: i. To develop a standerd education materials ii. To know the mangrove forest (Sundarbans) as a part of world Heritages site. iii. Students are the future hope of any nation. So they should know the in-depth knowledge about Sundarbans as a part of ecological conservation.
Our main strategy Is to incorporate this materials into the curriculum as a Supplementary Reading Material (SRM).
The following education materials we have already being developed: Booklet for class three (Our Sundarbans in pictures) Booklet for class four (Our Sundarbans in rhymes) Booklet for class five (Our Sundarbans in stories) Sundarbans Education/Learning game cards (education game) Sundarbans Tour Ludo (Let’s travel Sundarbans by Chakka (super six) Teachers’ Teaching Manual Community mobilization video documentation
We are now piloting this education materials almost all over Bangladesh (80 schools) We are very much thankful to those organizations who helped us a lot for promoting this inovative idea. Without their help we are not capable to implement this project in development sector such organizations are Khulna University, Department of Education, Department of Environment, IUCN, Bangladesh, 50 Sundarbans coastal primary schools and so many.
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This is the first inovative idea for Sundarbans education material in Bangladesh
Mangrove field trip to know the miracle of nature
Education is the backbone of a nation. Students are future. Education is the best medium to reach out to them, as it disseminates knowledge, provides necessary skills, and helps in forming attitudes. BEDS have involved these communities to build up a mutual relation with education and the mangrove areas. The main objectives of this tour: • Encourage the teachers and students to be naturalists. • Involving the teachers and students for promoting Sundarbans tourism and development program. • Provide up-to-date information about the Sundarbans. Using posters, leaflets, flipcharts, video documentation, and other public media.
Sundarbans is the world largest mangrove forest, and also listed as a World Heritage and Ramsar site. Sundarbans is mainly known for its natural beauty, biodiversity, and as a safeguard during the period of natural disaster. To know the endless potentiality of Sundarbans it is required for the experience of Sundarbans in first-hand. In that case BEDS reached out there with the teachers and students.
To achieve the objectives above, BEDS started a study tour through Sundarbans. We have selected mainly two sites, Karamjal and Sundarban Information Centre (SIC). These two sites are wellequipped with various educational materials, and Karamjal has a crocodile breeding centre. There is no other option for the students to know the Sundarban in practical experience with a minimal level of costing. This sense BEDS is unique. BEDS works for Knowledge hunter
If you conserve the Mangrove, Mangrove will Save you. This project is supported by Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (KNCF), Japan
Sundarbans
Mangrove flagship ecosystem is the natural safeguard and livelihood support for most climate vulnerable coastal communities of Bangladesh. The Sundarbans is one of the single largest mangrove forests in the world, and is a preserve for the iconic Bengal Tiger. It is a UNESCO declared World Heritage (WH) site. Retaining the ecosystem health of the Sundarbans is of paramount importance for Bangladesh, yet is challenging. Threats to the area include climate change and diverse human activities like unsustainable resource harvesting, illegal hunting, and loss of species by the human-Wildlife conflicts.
Overview for the Project: • To protection of world largest mangrove ecosystem (Sundarbans). • Maintaining an eco balance between human and Nature. • Poverty reduction through the basis on eco activities effectively utilizes the natural resources. • Reducing the pressure of over and unplanned extraction of natural resources. • Ensuring the sustainable eco balance and promoting the working opportunities for both male and female person in Sundarbans area.
What we have achieved: • 136 Sundarbans fishermen understanding about the mangrove and its important now increased • Formed a multiple cooperative society including the fishermen in Mathurapur jelly Polly (Mathurapur Fishing village). • We have already included 136 stakeholders from 75 households who are directly dependent on their livelihood for Sundarbans resource. • Under this project we are ensuring the women participation in this region. Our total number of male participants is 65 and female is 71. • We have collected all the stakeholders’ family background in formation in a project profile and kept this information in BEDS resource cell. • For achieving our project target properly we have maintained an excellent collaboration with Govt and NGOs. • We have also selected the area for mangrove plantation for reducing the river bank erosion and future mangrove based sustainable livelihood improvement
Bangladesh is a developing country; most of the people of Bangladesh are living below the poverty line. Maximum people who live in the costal area they have no proper education. They don’t know about the nature and how to conserve the biodiversity. After understanding all this facts BEDS has realized that without the participation of local communities the nature and natural resources conservation of Sundarbans would never possible. In that case BEDS is trying to increase the knowledge of local communities and to reduce the poverty through capacity build up by eco friendly livelihood improvement activities.
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This is a grassroots levels work that is basically doing for nature conservation and sustainable resource management including the local communities of Sundarbans area.
This is a grassroot initiative
for Environmental-friendly Sustainable Development ------------------------------------------
We have distributed 700 Solar Lamps among 700 Sundarbans poor families and cooperated with World Vision Bangladesh for distributing 200 solar lamps among 200 tribal poor families supported by Korea Green Foundation (KGF) and Community Chest of Korea during 2013 to 2015. Objectives: To create opportunities for the poor children who are studying during night time. To create opportunities for livelihood, homestead and social work for facilitated for coastal families at night.
Comments of the supported families Dream light brings a new hope for the ultra poor communities Dream light extends our eye site, it’s just like a miracle!
To stop the causing of respiratory disease who are using the kerosene (oil).
We are ensuring our electricity by using this dream light
To make people free from anxiety about buying fuel.
Now we are free from anxiety for buying Kerosene (oil)
To Fulfill the light demand of non electrified poor families
We are now able to save 750-800 taka/$10-11 per month
To reduce the risk of natural disaster and tiger attack at night. To reduce the poverty of poor families
Today our children are feeling interest and happy to read at night by using the solar lamp Today dream light/solar lantern seems it is the best friend for our family
To take an initiate for green development
Project site is in Sundarbans coastal region of Bangladesh
We selected our beneficiaries to give priority basis on poor families. Their monthly income is not higher than 4000 taka/$54. school going children families, Tiger victim families, disable person (differently able), old man.
Generally maximum families monthly expenditure for kerosene is 750 BDT or $10 per month. It is allmost near about 15% of a family income.
This is little initiative for reduceing CO2 from the air
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Some uses of solar lamp
Asia Solar Lamp project in Bangladesh
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This project is supported by Green Asia Grant of Korea Green Foundation (KGF)
Empowerment of the underprivileged Women through Eco Enterprise
Women are the half of total population in Bangladesh. Implementation of any project or development work, without women participation its actually not possible. In that case BEDS has taken this initiative for empowering the underprivileged women through society based Eco-friendly livelihood activities. Why BEDS takes this initiative: • Promote the women empowerment. • Reduction of poverty • Ensure an alternative livelihoods as a part of small enterprise development. • Ensure the family safety for providing the working opportunities in homestead areas. • Improve the consciousness about women rights and Sundarbans conservation.
What we have achieved: The stakeholders are now able to make their own product (eco-bag) without any organizational support. We have also established a relation between local market for selling their products.
We are seeking further collaboration for long term skill development training to ensure the quality
of the products, construct a suitable working place, capital for more production and expert person in marketing sector.
This activities are going on..........
This is initial stage for BADABON ECO PRODUCT (Mangrove eco product)
t n e m e v ro
p m I d o o h i l e v i L e l b a n i ) a C t s T I L Su S ( r e t n e C g n i n i a Tr
Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) and Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) are working in the Sundarbans coastal region mangrove biodiversity conservation. For promoting some training, discussion and livelihood technological support the communities needs a proper place to sit together bu there is no single place for arranging such type of programme in our working site. After realizing this JEEF and BEDS constructed a house called
Sustainable
Livelihood Improvement Training Center (SLITC).
Our constucted house can afforded at least 100 people. This Training Center is constructed by subsidy of DAIWA HOUSE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
BEDS always believe to provide training for better skill development
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This project is also supported by the subsidy of AEON Environmental Foundaon
ree saves our Univers like our Mother
BEDS is always committed to nature conservation. In that case tree plantation is one of the most important activities. During the year 2011 to 2014 BEDS has planted approx 21000 tress in 56 school grounds involving teachers’, students’ and their guardians’ cooperation with Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Japan and supported by the subsidy of AEON Environmental Foundation and Global Forest Fund, FEE, Denmark Before starting our plantation activities we are trying to motivate the teachers, students and their guardians about the necessity of tree plantation. To make a ecological balance and sustainable environmental condition one country should have atleast 25% forest area. But compare to this ratio Bangladesh has only approx 16% of forest land. So it is beggar description the necessity of mass tree plantation in our country.
Main objectives of tree plantation: • Motivating the students for nature conservation. • Increasing the positive attitudes to afforestation and to avoid deforestation among the teachers, students and also their guardians. • To ensure the fellow land is using for plantation. • To reduce the total amount of co2 from nature through tree plantation. • To take an initiative for green development.
Trees sheltered our univers like the care of mother. No life can sustain in the biosphere without the existance of trees. Trees sorrounded the environment with green shadow. Trees are maintaining the ecological balance. It reduce the air pollution by supplying pure oxegen. Tree plantation is cost effective and easy to maintain.
Without nature conservation no life can sustain in the earth. For the natural conservation we need more trees to protect our ecosystem. BEDS is trying their best to promote a green world for upcoming generation.
Considering all this issues BEDS is suiting for tree plantation
Study on River Atlas: Present and future relationship between life and Trans-boundary River Bangladesh Environment and Development Societies (BEDS) working with IUCN for this Trans-boundary River study . It’s basically a joint venture program between Bangladesh and India. The river morphological study, history and how the life way is changing depends on the nature of river are basically included in this study.
Main objectives of the program :
• Create a narrative story with photographs about the river. • Collecting a brief history about the livelihoods, cultures, issues, and challenges of people and communities living on the banks of the trans-boundary river.
We have already completed the study of 23 trans-boundary rivers among the total number of 57 rivers. This narrative atlas compiles a comprehensive description of these each river, from origin to end, supported by facts and information collected from publicly available scientific literature, reports, and maps. Each description will be complemented by GIS maps using information and data available in the public domain and also photographs of the rivers and the people and environment thriving on their banks.
One’s upon a time Bangladesh is called the land of River BEDS work for the Heritage back
n o i t a v r e s n o C Wildlife and h c r a e s e R Photo Credit: Shumon
Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation is one of the major thematic area of BEDS. Under this thematic area BEDS has been working on Wildlife Conservation and Research project in Bangladesh specially in the Sundarbans region.
BEDS has been assisting to Project Batagur during 2010 and BEDS team firstly recognized that Batagur baska still in the wild after 2000. After recognized BEDS team and Ms. Rupali Ghosh collected the Baska baby from the fishermen during 2013. BEDS team also supported to collect the baska from the captive in the Sundarbans coastal region of Bangladesh. BEDS has been implementing a project on A study on calipee trade of Critically Endangered Pelochelys cantorii in Bangladesh cooperation with Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) 2014.
Photo Credit: Md. Maksudur Rahman
Photo Credit: Rupali Ghosh
BEDS has been assisting to Sundarbans Finfoot Conservation and Research Project. BEDS is now implementing a project on Dolphin and Turtle Conservation Education among the Sundarbans fishermen of Bangladesh cooperation with Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF), Japan supported by the AEON Environmental Foundation.
Photo Credit: Sayam U. Chowdhury
BEDS also has been assisting to Vulture Conservation project implementing by Forest Department and IUCN, Bangladesh. Photo Credit: Zahangir Alom
Photo Credit: Mebar Uddin Khan
Everything in the natural world is connected. An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work together.
