Co-management of natural resources in Bangladesh was first introduced in the fishery sector that gradually spread to forest protected areas and wetlands of Bangladesh. The co- management in the NRM sector can be viewed under following regimes namely:

MACH (1999-2003)

NSP (2003-2008)

IPAC (2008-2013)

CREL (2013-2017)

Several ministries, departments and development partners are directly involved in the implementation process of the co-management in the PAs of Bangladesh. They are:

• ·         Ministry of Fishery
• ·         Ministry of Environment and Forest Ministry of Land
• ·         Department of Environment Forest Department Department of Fishery USAID
• ·         Winrock
• ·         Non-Government organizations as implementation partner

Achievement of co-management in Bangladesh

• The overall achievement of co-management of PAs in Bangladesh can be summarised as follows based on the perception, experiences and observations of the respondents and stakeholders of various studies:

• The number of beneficiaries have increased significantly with the expansion of the programme, but the technical and financial capacity remain as a limiting factor thus the development was termed as ‘too wide but too thin’.

• Sustainable PA management largely depends on the awareness and motivation by communities and the rights offered to them through consensus and negotiation. Gradual positive changes have taken place in terms of participation by women that is also reflected in local institutional frameworks such as CMC and CPG.

• Responsibility is diluted in co-management when communities demand and expect benefits without sharing the management costs. To attain desired goals, equity in benefit and cost sharing is important.

• Co-management has created an escape route for the FD to improve their image but it needs further improvements in governance approaches, legal, policy and institutional frameworks and implementation mechanisms

Problems of Co-management in Bangladesh

• Legal and policy framework

• Capacity building

• Tenural rights and devolution of power

• Equity in benefit and cost sharing

• Biodiversity conservation

• Human-animal conflict issue

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