They said sustainable development in the country cannot be achieved ignoring the wetlands because Bangladesh has a vast wetland covering almost half of the total land.

The seminar was organised by Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Society at the National Press Club in the city to mark the World Wetland Day.

This year, the main theme of the day was 'Fish for Tomorrow'.

The speakers at the National Press Club said unplanned structural development in urban and rural areas is one of the main reasons for declining country's wetland and for this reason around 300 species of freshwater fishes and over 500 species of marine fishers are now extinct.

Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), said the wetlands of Bangladesh are now under serious threat of gradual depletion.

The unplanned construction of structures and other human activities are mainly responsible for creating imbalance in atmosphere, he added.

"We don't consider wetland while making development policy. Almost all of our rivers flow from north to south but most of our roads are extended from east to west setting up of many bridges, culverts and obstructing the natural flow of waters," said Prof Ahmad.

Inamul Haque, director general of Bangladesh Haor and Wetlands Development Board, suggested identification of one wetland in every union across the country for preserving all species of fishes for future generation.

Associate Professor of Sylhet Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology Dr Muhammad Aktarul Islam Chowdhury, renowned Ecologist MA Ohab and Bapa Member-Secretary Dr Abdul Hai Majumdar also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, at a seminar titled 'Fish for Tomorrow' organised by the Department of Fisheries at its conference room, the speakers underscored the need for activating community-based organisations for efficient and productive management of the country's inland water bodies.

Speaking as chief guest, Country Representative of International Union for Conservation Network (IUCN) Dr Ainun Nishat said canals and other inland water bodies of Bangladesh are not interconnected which is why the area for fishes remains very limited during the dry season.

And for this reason, fishes cannot survive when one water body is dried up, he added.

Engineering interventions on water bodies usually damage their sustainability, said Dr Nishat and cautioned that such intervention should be made carefully so that the environment is least affected.

About declining fish production in the country, he said due to intensive cultivation on the lands, peasants could hardly afford time for fishing in their wetlands.

To increase fish production, he suggested inclusion of coastal areas under a comprehensive national policy.

Presided over by acting director general of fisheries department Md Nazrul Islam, the seminar was also addressed by Secretary to fisheries and livestock ministry Sayed Ataur Rahman and Dr Gias Uddin Khan of World Fish Centre.