Environmental Governance in Bangladesh’s Textile Industry for Sustainable Development: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Environmental governance is a key concept within political ecology and environmental policy that emphasizes sustainability, or sustainable development, as the foremost priority in guiding political, social, and economic activities. In Bangladesh, environmental governance holds considerable importance in confronting various environmental issues. It includes legal structures, policy measures, and institutional mechanisms designed to encourage sustainable practices and reduce environmental damage. This study offers a comprehensive and systematic analysis of environmental legislation and policy frameworks in Bangladesh. It aims to critically examine the conceptual foundations of environment and sustainable development and to establish their interrelationship within the broader context of the country’s development priorities. The paper evaluates the prevailing environmental conditions in Bangladesh, identifying the principal causes and consequences of environmental degradation, which emerge from the complex interaction between anthropogenic activities and natural processes. Furthermore, it investigates the extent to which development programs contribute to, or are affected by, environmental decline. The study also assesses the initiatives and policy responses undertaken to address environmental challenges and disasters in Bangladesh. Finally, it proposes a set of policy recommendations advocating for an integrated and holistic approach to achieving long-term sustainable development. For analytical rigor, the research concentrates on selected environmental issues that collectively represent the overall environmental status of the country