Wednesday 11 November 2009

Lawmakers form action group on climate change

Lawmakers form action group on climate change

Lawmakers from coastal constituencies formed "Bangladesh Climate Change Action Group" yesterday in a move to address the adverse impact of climate change.

"People in the coastal areas are bearing the brunt of natural disasters that prompted us to form the forum in the face of the inevitable consequences of climate change," said ASM Firoz, whip of parliament and an elected member from Patuakhali.

Firoz has been selected as convener of the forum. The group is expected to have around 50 members, all elected from the southern region.
The forum was formed at a discussion on Climate Change: Adverse Effect on Bangladesh and Our Action held at the Parliament Members' Club in the city.

Firoz said that they would appoint a spokesman for the forum to make their voices heard in local and international conferences on climate change.

"We must develop awareness among the coastal people, so they would be prepared to address the challenges," he said. He urged experts and NGO representatives to work in collaboration with the government organisations and representatives to design the course of actions, which will minimise effects of the climate change on people.

Speaking at the discussion meeting, Ruhul Amin Hawlader, secretary general of Jatiya Party, asked the government to take necessary steps to secure sufficient amount of money from international communities to meet the challenges.

Due to climate change, fertility of soil and river fishes in coastal areas are reducing alarmingly day by day, claimed Golam Maula Rony, elected form Patuakhali-3. "Reduced capability of both land and water in production is severely affecting economical aspects of the people in coastal areas. Besides, we are facing continuous natural disasters. Only concerted efforts can alleviate the sufferings of the people," he said.
Mizan R Khan, professor of the department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, presented a keynote paper at the meeting.

He said that if the sea level of the Bay of Bengal rises for 1 mitre, the government would have to evacuate at least 3 crore people from the coastal areas.

"Keeping this cautionary message in mind, the government should design the next course of plan," he added.

Mahbubur Rahman, state minister for water resources, lawmakers Narayan Chandra Chanda, principal Shorab Hossain, advocate Afzal Hossain, BH Harun, MA Zabbar and representatives of different NGOs including WBB Trust, Grambangla Unnayan Committee and Save the Coastal People (SCOPE), among others, were present at the discussion meeting.

A meeting will be held on September 10 to fix a date for the final meeting to discuss the structure and other aspects related to the forum.



Monday 2 November 2009

“Change Behavior Not Climate”.

Bangladeshis rally for “Change Behavior Not Climate”

All over Bangladesh today people organized events to raise attention to the need to reduce carbon in the atmosphere to a scientifically-determined safer level of 350 ppm. Activists also stressed the importance of citizens making change, as a parallel movement to government action, with the banner “Change Behavior Not Climate”.

Green activists protest at move to build market in playground

Green activists protest at move to build market in playground
The Daily New Age


Green activists along with cultural and sports personalities formed a human chain on Saturday, protesting at the move to construct a market on a playground at Mirpur of the Dhaka city.

Save the Environment Movement and Barnak Samaj Kalyan Krira O Sangskritik Angan jointly organised the human chain programme on the playground, Laal Maath. Noted folk singer Kuddus Bayati rendered a good many songs highlighting the importance of sound environment

Local people including students of different school and colleges joined hands with the green activists and vowed to save the playground from the land grabbers. Lawmaker Elias Uddin Molla, SEM chairman Abu Naser Khan, Barnak Samaj Kalyan president Mahmud Hasan Khan, general secretary Jafrul Hassan, footballer Imtiaz Sultan Jony and actor Manzur Hossain attended the programme.

They called on the authorities concerned to take immediate measures for stopping the work of constructing a vegetables market on the playground. The Barnak Samaj Kalyan president and general secretary threatened to launch tougher movement if the work is not stopped immediately.

Extending his support to the demand, Elias Molla said, ‘We will resist the move to construct the market on Laal Maath. ’ He also assured that all necessary steps would be taken to remove all the structures erected on the playground by next month.

Abu Naser Khan said a vested quarter earlier had tried to occupy the playground. But the local people with the help of green activities foiled the move.

Syed Saiful Alam
Save the Environment Movement
shovan1209[at]yahoo.com

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/nov/01/met.html

'Protect Mirpur's Red Field'

'Protect Mirpur's Red Field'

Speakers at a rally yesterday urged the government to protect Red Field of Mirpur in the city from being occupied by the land grabbers.
“Open fields in the city are being occupied one after another. The city-dwellers have no space to play, to walk or to have fresh air. The government should be more strict to protect existing open lands from being occupied illegally,” they added.

The rally was organised jointly by Save the Environment Movement and Barnak Samaj Kalyan Krira and Sangskritik Sangha at the Red Field, said a press release.

The speakers said the Red Field is the only playground of the area where hundreds of children and young people come for play and recreation every day.
But some influential land grabbers are now hatching conspiracy to occupy the field by constructing market and multi-storied building, they added.
Local people and school students joined the rally to press home their demand and took oath to protect the field at any cost.

Local MP Ilias Ali Mollah, Chairman of Save the Environment Movement Abu Naser Khan, folk singer Abdus Kuddus Boyati and actor Manjur Hossain also addressed the rally.

Meanwhile, leaders of Narayanganj Paribesh Andolan yesterday urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to recover the grabbed lands, water bodies and canals.

They made the demand at a human chain formed in front of Narayanganj Press Club, said another press release.

Syed Saiful Alam
Save the Environment Movement
shovan1209[at]yahoo.com