Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (BECA) is set of laws enacted by the government of Bangladesh in 1995 to conserve the nation's environment. Its main goals were to "provide for conservation of the environment, improvement of environmental standards and control and mitigation of environmental pollution."(Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act, 1995). The Act gives operational definitions of terms that historically did not exist, including ecosystem, pollution, waste and hazardous substance. Seven areas in Bangladesh are defined as Ecologically Critical Areas under this law. Despite the Act and its supporting laws and policies the environmental degradation of Bangladesh continues principally under the population pressure. History Former environmental laws in Bangladesh include the Bangladesh Wild Life (Preservation) Order of 1973, the Marine Fisheries Ordinance of 1983 and the Brick Burning (Control) Act of 1989. Other major preservation laws enacted before the independence of Bangladesh include the Public Parks Act of 1904, the Agricultural and Sanitary Improvement Act of 1920, Forest Act of 1927, and the Protection and Conservation of Fish Act of 1950. The Act followed the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Forest in 1989 and the National Environment Management Action Plan (NEMAP) in 1992, as well as the Forest Policy in 1994 and the Forestry Master Plan (1993–2012) in 1993. The act was put in place on 30 May 1995. The Director General Upon approving this act the government established the Department of Environment and the Department of Environment will be headed by a Director General (Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act, 1995). The Director General can set up any rules and measures that he may consider will help conserve the country's environment and may improve the environment's standards. The Director General can work with other agencies that the Director General thinks can effectively aid in their goal. The Director General can introduce rules and regulations that can help prevent accidents that can potentially damage and pollute the environment, the Director General can also direct the clean-up of any spill or major environmental disaster and issue directions to undo the damage that was done on the environment. The Director General can issue directions and rules pertaining to the use, storage, transportation, import and export of any hazardous materials. The Director General can also conduct research on conserving and improving the environment and can receive assistance from any organisation to effectively conduct the research. For example, the Director General may conduct research on the quality