Bangladesh, Feb. 2 -- In a rare and significant move, the World Bank has terminated a $150 million conservation project in Tanzania following widespread allegations of human rights abuses, including forced evictions, rapes, and extrajudicial killings. The project, officially known as the “Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth” (REGROW), was initially intended to enhance wildlife-based tourism in Tanzania. However, critics argue that its implementation has come at an enormous cost to indigenous communities living near protected areas, particularly around Ruaha National Park.

Since its approval in 2017, the REGROW project aimed to develop “priority protected areas” to boost Tanzanias tourism i...