The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exposition-BATEXPO'07 partly lost its glamour yesterday, the second day of the three-day gala trade-show, due to the catastrophic cyclone, Sidr.

The organisers, however, hope the annual function will become lively with the improvement in the weather today. The presence of visitors was not upto expectation, as the city life was paralysed due to day-long foul weather as well as power outage.

The show, organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) at Sonargaon Hotel, is exposing the latest advancement in production capacities of Bangladeshi manufacturers, who are among the top three suppliers to the US and EU markets.

Top Bangladeshi suppliers are participating in the event and displaying their products in 75 stalls at the exposition. More than 50 companies, including suppliers from India, China, Japan and Hong-Kong who usually come to market fabrics and accessories, have registered their participations.

Buyers from USA, Germany, U.K. Canada, Middle East, Southeast Asia and other parts in the world wait every year for the BATEXPO and it was visited by 3000 industrial units including 500 from aboard last year.

Also varied categories of woven and knitted garments, denim wears and formal wears, textiles and accessories are being displayed at the single venue of the fair.

With nearly $10 billion annual exports and 5000 plus exports' manufacturers, the Bangladesh apparel industry is an admired source for numerous global retailers and importers. Local manufacturers are famed globally for executing large volume of orders and to be competitive in terms of quality, prices and skills of workers. Their capacity regarding speedy shipments has improved a lot in recent months.

Bangladesh to be hit hard by global climate change

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh is going to bear the brunt of global climate changes as 50 million people are apprehended to be affected annually by floods and 20 million by droughts in addition to losing 6 percent of low-lying lands due to sea level rise by 2050.

Bangladesh is recognized as one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of global warming and climate changes due to its unique geographical location, dominance of floodplains, low elevation from the sea, high population density, high levels of poverty and overwhelming dependence on nature.

Sources at the Ministry of Environment and Forests said 93 major natural disasters were recorded in Bangladesh between 1991 and 2000, resulting in nearly 200,000 deaths and causing US $ 5.9 billion in damages with colossal losses in agriculture and infrastructures.

A sea level rise of .5 meter over the last 100 years has already eroded 65 percent landmass of 250 square kilometers in Kutubdia, 227 square kilometers in Bhola and 180 square KM of Sandwip Islands, the sources said.

They said over the last 10 years, Bangladesh has been ravaged by floods of catastrophic proportion in 1998, 2004 and 2007 in two phases. Heavy downpour over a short period of time resulted in landslides and cold spell claimed human lives and damaged crops.

Drought often affects even coastal districts, bad weather keeps the coastal waters risky for fishing expeditions. Damages and losses due to climate extremes like flood, cyclones, tornado, droughts are phenomenal to the victims as well as the state.

Sea level rise in the coming decades will create over 25 million climate refugees in the country, according to official statistics. Experts said Bangladesh must formulate a comprehensive action plan to protect the country from disastrous consequences of the global climate changes.

They said the country's aspiration to become a middle income country by 2030 will be threatened unless a comprehensive plan is developed and acted upon right now on climate changes.

Chris Austin, head of DFID, Bangladesh, addressing a discussion here on Nov 13, said though Bangladesh has contributed little to changes in the global climate, the low-lying delta nation is one of the countries that will be severely affected.

"The social and economic costs of these impacts will be staggering unless a comprehensive plan is developed and acted upon right now. Climate changes may seriously undermine Bangladesh's aspiration to become a middle-income country by 2030," he said.

Former Director General of Meteorological Department Akram Hossain Khan on Thursday told the media that from now Bangladesh would have to remain ready to face devastating natural calamities, including cyclone, flood and tsunami.

"Hurricane like Sidr is not unlikely in the future. As the global climate continues to change, Bangladesh is going to be the worst sufferer. Now the country must have preparations to face such calamities, which are highly likely in the future," he said.