World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February to highlight the importance of wetlands for people and the planet. Wetlands such as haors, beels, rivers and mangroves provide vital benefits — they support biodiversity, regulate water, help control floods, store carbon and sustain livelihoods.
The 2026 theme is “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”, which recognises the deep connections between wetlands and the traditional knowledge, cultural practices and heritage of communities around the world, and calls for urgent action to protect both ecological and cultural values of these ecosystems.
Bangladesh’s wetlands — from the haor basins in the northeast to the Sundarbans mangroves in the southwest — are essential to the country’s environmental balance and socio-economic wellbeing. Protecting and restoring these ecosystems is key to sustainable development, climate resilience and water security for present and future generations.
