25/06/2026
Protecting Coasts • Protecting Livelihoods • Protecting the Future
Maheshkhali–Matarbari–Sonadia is an important but highly climate-vulnerable coastal landscape in Bangladesh. Cyclones, storm surges, salinity, erosion, tidal flooding and livelihood uncertainty are now compounded by rapid industrial, port and infrastructure development.
Mangroves are more than trees. They are natural coastal protection, fish and crab breeding habitats, biodiversity refuges, and an essential foundation for the livelihoods of fisher families, salt workers, and other coastal resource-dependent communities.
These images show two realities: living mangrove ecosystems, coastal livelihoods, and community potential on one side and damaged habitats, altered water flows, and growing environmental pressures on the other.
AGRAJATTRA believes that planting trees alone is not enough. Effective coastal resilience requires:
🌿 Protection of existing mangroves and coastal green belts
🌿 Ecosystem restoration based on local conditions and technical assessment
🌿 Women-led nurseries, green enterprises and livelihood opportunities
🌿 Youth and school-based environmental awareness
🌿 Community-led monitoring and risk identification with local CBOs and CSOs
🌿 Climate-resilient livelihood support for fisher families, salt workers, women and vulnerable households
🌿 Collaboration among government institutions, local communities, researchers, climate-finance partners, development organizations, and responsible private-sector actors
Locally appropriate mangrove conservation and restoration can strengthen coastal protection, biodiversity and future carbon-sequestration potential. Any future carbon-related claim must be based on baseline data, regular monitoring and independent technical validation.
This is not an accusation against any development initiative or institution. It is a call for practical collaboration so that development, livelihoods and nature can move forward together.
Development, people and nature must move forward together.
AGRAJATTRA welcomes dialogue and collaboration on community-led mangrove protection, women-led green livelihoods, youth engagement, climate-risk monitoring and responsible coastal resilience planning.
United Nations Development Programme - UNDP
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Women’s Humanitarian Platform -
-Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung (ZMT) GmbH
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Oceanographic Research Institute
IUCN
Green Climate Fund
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
Fund
Global Environment Facility
United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh
World Bank Bangladesh
ADB Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Climate Change Trust