Bangladesh is part of the Indo-Malayan realm on the sub-continent of Asia, and contains a good number of natural areas that could be managed as protected areas in conformity with the international norms advocated by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The country has 2.63 million ha of forestland, which covers 18 of the total landmass (Rahman et al., 2000). Around 1.52 of the country's total land area, or approximately 14.5 of the forestland managed by the Forest Department, have been notified as protected areas. In addition, another 12,905 ha of land have been established and maintained as protected areas for the preservation of biological diversity by the Forest Department. IUCN enjoins all countries that have a number of protected areas to adopt a national system of protected areas. It can be linked to an international or regional network of protected areas, such as the South Asian regional network, primarily for in situ conservation of species and ecosystems (Bari, 1996). As part of a regional network, these protected areas contain and shall preserve the important natural areas of the region. These protected areas are established to be preserved and to provide long-term services and maintain the ecological balance.
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