Bangladesh is blessed with huge inland open water resource. It has numerous river canals,beels,lakes and vast areas of floodplains. Hakaluki haor is one of the major Wetlands of Bangladesh. With a land area of 18,386 hectares, it supports a rich biodiversity and provideoes direct and indirect livelihood benefits to nearly 190,000 people. This haor was declared an Ecologically Critical Area in April 1999 by the government of Bangladesh.
Hakaluki is a complex ecosystem, containing more than 238 interconnectiong beels and jalmahals.The most important beels are chatla,pinlarkona,Dulla, Sakua,Barajalla,Lamba,Tekonia,Haorkhal,Tural,Baghalkuri and Chinaura.
Hakaluki Haor is bounded by the kushiara river as well as a part of the Sonai-Bardal river to the north,by the Fenchuganji-Kulaura railway to the west and to the south, and by the Kulaura -Beanibazar road to the east.The haor falls under two administrative districts,Maulvibazar and sylhet. Some 190,000 people live in the area surrounding the haor.
Hakaluki Haor is an important source of fisheries resources for Bangladesh. Kalibaus, Boal,Rui,Ghagot,pabda and chapila are the main fish species found here.