Botany

Bangladesh has a long history of species introductions from different geographic regions. The country was a major international trade route during the early-modern era and was under British colonial rule until 1947. During this time, many invasive alien species (IAS) that now threaten the country's native flora, fauna and ecosystems were inadvertently introduced. In recent years, deliberate preferences for fast-growing, high-yielding exotic species has also threatened the existence of native species in the country. Here, we provide an overview of IAS in Bangladesh, their suspected origin, the purpose of their introduction, and their impacts on ecosystems and people. Based on a literature review, we identified 69 IAS reported to occur in Bangladesh. The majority of these species were plants (46 species), followed by fish (16 species), and insects (5 species). The identified species were introduced from South America, Asia, Africa and Australia, primarily to provide food and timber. Although initially introduced to favor the productivity of food and timber, and to provide certain environmental benefits, the identified IAS are increasingly threatening native flora, fauna and ecosystems in Bangladesh. We recommend a need for appropriate policies and legislation to address the introduction, monitoring, and regulation of IAS in the country. A comprehensive list of IAS and a robust protocol to differentiate harmful from advantageous species is also necessary. Community awareness, advocacy, surveillance, capacity building of government officials, and cooperation with neighboring countries for transboundary management and monitoring of IAS is also important to minimize the risks posed by IAS in Bangladesh.