Scientists warn that if urgent action is not taken , Bangladesh could lose one of its most iconic river species –once a living symbol of the vibrant waterways of the country. Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan rightly said dolphins are vital indicators of river health, and their survival is closely connected with that of rivers and people. When river water gets polluted, it threatens both dolphins and humans. Keeping rivers clean is crucial for the survival of both, she added. Speaking as chief guest at a discussion very recently, organized by the forest department in the capital’s Agargaon, marking the International Freshwater Dolphin Day the environment adviser further said that a voluntary network would be formed in every district to support the forest department so that quick action could be taken in rescuing and protecting wildlife. If this is implemented, we hope, poaching of wildlife will come down to a great extent.
According to a report published recently in a local English daily, experts revealed at a discussion that 2,307 Gangetic River Dolphins are found across Bangladesh’s river systems. A survey conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and funded by the World Bank, covered 45,893kms of 45 rivers between 2024 and 2025 and found this small number of dolphins existing in Bangladesh’s rivers.
The number of dolphins is very small in some rivers, particularly those flowing around Dhaka city. The survey identified 25 dolphin hotspots, some of which require immediate conservation as the number of dolphin is declining fast. The death toll of dolphin is rising every year, driven by human activity and environmental degradation. Most of the deaths are attributed to such key reasons as injuries from engine-propelled boats, stones or fishing tools, entanglement in fishing nets, targeted killing for fat extraction, poisoning from pollution and food shortage.
Over the past eight years, at least 46 freshwater dolphins, locally known as shushuk o r hutom .died in the Halda river of Chattogram. The Halda was once considered one of the safest sanctuaries for the endangered Ganges River dolphin. Over 90percentof dead dolphins had visibnble injury marks caused by collision with boat propellers or entanglement in fishing nets. The Halda river ,South Asia’s only natural carp breeding ground, has long been home to Ganges river dolphin, and it was declared a heritage river . But now Halda’s dolphins remain at serious risk. If water pollution cannot be controlled, the number of dolphin will keep declining. Dolphins’ death in rivers surrounding Dhaka city is attributed to severe pollution . Dolphins in these rivers are mainly facing food crisis. They are surviving on sucker fish.
The Ganges river dolphin vital ecological role as a top predator in the freshwater food chain and serves as an essential indicator of river health. Protecting this species also helps conserve other aquatic life such as softshellturtles, ghorials etc.
To rein in the rising death toll of dolphins in the Halda it is indispensable to declare the river a dolphin sanctuary, ban dredgers and motoris3ed boats, prohibit net-based fishing, remove rubber dams from the river’s upstream and tributaries, enforce strictly wildlife and fisheries law, bring the river under constant CCTV surveillance, and ramp up public awareness. According to an expert, any development activity in the Halda must be carried out cautiously to avoid harm to biodiversity conservation. Otherwise, we risk losing this species from the river .Bangladesh has been observing the World Fresh water Dolphin Day since its inception. We, therefore, urge the government to make coordinated efforts to save endangered dolphin from perishing..
