The poor are often naively blamed for over exploitation and destruction of natural resources. This is not true; rather they conserve the natural resources. Millions of poor in Bangladesh take various livelihood supports in the forms of food and nutrition, employment and income generation, fodder, fuel and subsistence from natural resources. The natural resources also reduce various risks and vulnerability of the poor from both natural disasters and socio-economic shocks. But the unequal power relation in rural Bangladesh (which always favors the rich and disfavors the poor), the emerging market forces and institutional weakness create barriers towards the access of the poor to natural resources such as land,
water, fisheries and biodiversity. Hence the livelihood security of the poor and marginal groups is affected due to degradation of natural resources bases. Better management and conservation of common property and natural resources by involving poor community and local people can help reduce poverty as well as improve local resources base and ecosystems. Poor are to be treated as important part and actors of the solution in resources management, conservation and poverty alleviation. Again natural resources management and conservation efforts must be integrated with poverty alleviation to achieve sustainable development at local level and national levels.
Bangladesh was very rich in natural resources even in the recent past. The community people, particularly the poor and marginal groups used to get lots of livelihood supports (e.g., food and nutrition, water, fodders, fuel etc.) from their common property and natural resources base around them. But many unwise human interventions in the recent decades backed by rapid population growth, growing demands for food and eco-systemic services, commercial interests of the rich and power elites, unequal and unjust characteristics including age-structure, health, education, values and practices, skills, income and consumption patterns that have both negative and positive impacts on natural resources, production systems and on environment. As the population grows, it put pressures on resources bases and there is smaller amount of per person natural resources.
