Citizens of Bangladesh feel honored to applaud very high appreciation to UNDP for its profound support and assistance in the form of project -aid to various strives of economic emancipation and social development of this country. However, there are a few projects which are highly controversial for being ethically curved and socio economically disgracing. It is not at all understood how such stupid projects are getting huge aid from UNDP. People of Bangladesh do not have any doubt about the transparency of UNDP in respect of aims, objectives and motivation. We are not in the least undermining the involvements of UNDP. What we mean, sometimes the information fed to UNDP in relevance to undertaking projects are not practically justifiable; rather, are based on imaginative data and imprudent explanations . Had there been the focus on the prevailing socio-economic scenario it is well believed that UNDP would not have supported such unrealistic project which, in place of yielding benevolence for the mass inhabitants, is shattering the economy and livelihood of local people. In this respect UNDP funded project BGD/99/G31/CWBMP (Bangladesh) with title “COASTAL AND WETLAND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PROJECT” is referred here for your kind attention and review. Department of Environment (DoE), Bangladesh, is the project implementing authority. The project is primarily concerned with Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) and conservation of biodiversity. The objective of the project is set to establish and demonstrate an innovative system for management of Ecologically Critical Areas in Bangladesh that will have a significant and positive impact on the long term viability of the country’s globally significant biodiversity resources. The objective, as outlined on paper, has superb exposition. But inclusion of Teknaf Peninsula of Cox’s Bazar district as one of the ECAs of the country definitely contains manifold doubts and suspicion about the transparency of aims and objectives of this very project. There are many reasons to believe that, prior to taking the project, required study on the socio-economy and public life was not carried out. UNDP should give a righteous attention to these affairs. Teknaf Peninsula is a narrow strip of landmass extending as the southeastern most part of Bangladesh and stretching as the part of the longest beach of the world along the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal. The area is heavily populated with the native descending generations having the heritage and culture of several centuries. Large number of these native people is extremely poor and cannot afford to earn more than hand to mouth livelihood. Therefore, whatever minimum the scope of earning is, any such meager source is also of great value to this have-not class. Following are the prime sources of earning for these people: 1) Fishing from the Bay along coastal belt. Several thousands of families are earning their bread from fishing. A lot more families are also involved in marketing the sea-fish. 2) Production of salt by trapping sea-water in nearby land is another important source of earning for many other families. Again, lot more are also involved in marketing salt as commodity. 3) Yielding of seasonal agricultural products is equally important source of income for native people. Landless peoples are working in the crop-fields and are earning wages for their livelihood. 4) There are several brickfields within the area marked for ECA. This is also a very important earning source for the local peoples. Moreover, production of bricks ensures employment for poor class. 5) Hatcheries for production of shrimp and prawn have tremendous impact both on national economy and on scopes of employment. Due to prevalence of favorable natural criteria for production of shrimps and prawns Hatchery Industries are expanding rapidly in the area. 6) The remote areas of the Peninsula, extending along the beach, lack road communication. For many of the localities, the beach is the only link and as such, even the motor vehicles are to ply through present beach -strips. 7) Besides Teknaf town, there exist a few more towns/ markets, which are virtually situated within the specified ECA. These habitations are also densely populated and are important centers of trades, commerce and relevant socio-economic activities. 8) Teknaf is one of the loveliest parts of the longest beach of the world. Obviously, tourism is getting faster expansion in the area. As a result, it has become the demand of the time to increase all relevant business and all sorts of establishments having relation to tourism. It is equally creating large scale of job opportunities. Such involvements are definitely to create tremendous impact on the socio- economy of the area and of the country too. Now, with the declaration of ECA, the Department of Environment is giving stresses on the efforts of conservation of biodiversity. Eventually, the personnel of DoE are getting more involved in barring all these socio -economic activities. Consequently, peoples of different professions are facing economic hardship. Especially, the have- not class has been enduring awful miseries with their livelihood. A brief account of adversities and grievances is outlined as follows: i) Thousands of poor fishermen would lose their source of earning with the imposed restriction on fishing. This will create havoc for innumerable number of families. The weak economy of Bangladesh cannot afford such distress. ii) Restriction on hatcheries would jeopardize another source of income both for the country and for the people involved. Moreover, many people, now working in hatcheries, would lose job. The loss would turn irreparable. iii) With the implementation of ECA, Tourism would be discouraged. Thus, the government, the private sets-up and associates with tourism industries would be deprived of earning. Equally, the working hands will lose job and thus a serious setback of unemployment would envelop the society. It is funny and queer to notice that for implementation of conservation of biodiversity, DoE, in the name of ECA, has been imposing restriction on the movement of people including tourists along 120 Km long beach extending from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf. How come, such a long beach having every quality to attract thousands of tourists regularly can be marked as ECA. Is there any such example throughout the globe? Probably not. iv) Restriction on salt production would be another bolt from the blue for the people involved in the profession. They will also be deprived of earning their livelihood. Moreover, lessening o salt production will create deficit in market against consumers’ demand. Accordingly, the situation would compel import of salt with hard earned foreign exchange. Thus, unnecessary pressure on national economy would have to be endured. v) In the name of restriction on human movement agricultural activities are being compelled to get declined drastically and thus, miseries of these poor people are increasing. vi) DoE is processing eviction of inhabitants from the so called ECA. The process would lead exile of several hundred thousand families. We do not know what DoE has thought of rehabilitating such a huge population. So far we know, it is next to impossible even for Bangladesh government to address such a disaster. vii) Along with the step of discouraging habitation and other relevant human activities, all socio-economic development work has also been forced to remain suspended. Moreover, with the approach of isolating ECA marked regions of the coastal belt from human habitation and social development activities, the entire Peninsula has become safe zone for pirates, dacoits, terrorists, miscreants and many other evil elements. Therefore social crimes have increased badly in the area. viii) It is also uttered from some corners that a big part of the fund, both GoB and UNDP, is misused and even misappropriated. DoE people, working in ECA, are heard to take bribe from incumbent people for allowing them to their professional activities in the so called ECA of Teknaf Peninsula. ix) Moreover, the implementing body does not have requisitely qualified Environmental Scientists. Peoples of other discipline having little concerns about the scientific approaches are with the responsibilities of implementing the project. Obviously, nothing more than massive irregularities and mess can be expected as the outcome. The importance of conservation of biodiversity is not argued with at all. But, the argument invariably arises on the point that whether Teknaf Peninsula is right choice to be identified as ECA. It is believed that the Project formulating personnel of DoE were either ignorant or reluctant on the above mentioned vitally important elements of the society of Teknaf. Had there been proper focus on the prevailing situation, it is strongly believed that at least UNDP would not fund such an imprudent project. The present steps of DoE , in the forms of barring peoples from their professional earnings, have already enraged the incumbent native peoples. There have already been outburst and agitation in different localities of the area against Department of Environment. In the circumstances, UNDP is requested to assess the situations on its own and feel the pulse of the local people of Teknaf Peninsula who have been dropped into hardship and uncertainties through this so called unrealistic project of ECA. In view of saving the humble inhabitants from despotically determined destiny of sufferings, an immediate action of withdrawing fund from this very project is anticipated. With thanks to UNDP authority. Sincerely Yours On behalf of the incumbent inhabitants of Teknaf Peninsula, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh