The Eastern Sundarbans form part of the largest contiguous mangrove forest in South Asia, covering more than 1 million hectares along the southwestern coast of Bangladesh in Khulna and Barisal divisions. This extensive tidal wetland system comprises a complex mosaic of low and high mangrove forests, riverine estuaries, creeks and canals, intertidal mudflats, and sandy shorelines along the Bay of Bengal. The Eastern Sundarbans support exceptional biodiversity, including the most important known population of the Critically Endangered Masked Finfoot globally, as well as internationally significant numbers of migratory shorebirds such as the Spoon‑billed Sandpiper and Spotted Greenshank. The area is also renowned for its rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity, including the Bengal Tiger and four species of marine turtles.

The mangrove ecosystems of the Eastern Sundarbans provide critical ecosystem services at local, national, and regional scales. These include climate regulation through exceptionally large carbon stocks, coastal and storm protection, and provisioning services such as fisheries and non‑timber forest products that support livelihoods for approximately 300,000 people living in adjacent communities. Despite its long history of protection, the Eastern Sundarbans face increasing pressure from climate change, altered river hydrology, water pollution, shipping activities, and unsustainable harvesting of aquatic resources. There is strong potential for targeted investment in mangrove restoration, improved site management, sustainable financing mechanisms such as carbon finance, and carefully managed nature‑based tourism to strengthen biodiversity conservation while improving livelihood resilience in surrounding communities.

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