Actor-Centered Interest Power Analysis of Participatory Biodiversity Conservation Policy Program in and Around the Bangladeshi Sundarbans

The polders and the adjacent area are the property of the Bangladesh Water Development Board. These polders have a significant role in the socio-environmental situation of the southwestern region of Bangladesh. The presence of the Sundarbans on opposite bank of the rivers makes this situation more important in terms of biodiversity context. Additionally, it is very common to find landless people as settlers along the polders in these particular regions. Although the land belongs to the state, these areas are used as common-pool resources. Hence multiple level stakeholders/actors are involved in the management of the polder areas particularly in respect of plantations. As GIZ has taken a pilot project for the conservation of biodiversity along the polder area in a participatory way, it is imperative to have a stakeholder/actor analysis in terms of interest and power in the pilot area. This study has done the complete network analysis in seven unions (Suterkhali, Rayenda, Southkhali, Ramjannagar, Munshiganj, Burigoalini, and Shyamnagar) of three upazilas (Dacope, Sarankhola, and Shyamnagar). The study found that the local government, local politicians, local beneficiaries, local elites, local NGOs, and upazila administrations are the irreplaceable stakeholders at local level. Water development board and forest administration are the two other irreplaceable actor at national level. These actors dominate the interest power network of participatory biodiversity policy program in and around Bangladeshi Sundarbans. Additionally the present co-management strategy of Bangladesh also advocates in favor of the administration-dominated institutions.