The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The analysis of the main reasons of climate change was absent at the ministerial level SAARC conference claimed the Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG), a non-governmental organisation at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity premises.

Without political process and people's participation the implementation of the SAARC programme to protect climate change will be impossible, claimed EJWG.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Convener, Bazlur Rahman, Shahadat Islam Chowdhury, M Kamal Hossain and Sarmin Islam Daizy, members of the organisation attended at the press conference.

Equity BD proposed that all member countries ratify the proposal of establishing a SAARC Food Bank to meet the food crisis of the region. It urged that the proposed SAARC Food Bank would not in any way give opportunity to any member country to take advantage of the food crisis of any other country.

EJWG has urged the government of Bangladesh to impress upon other SAARC countries to make provision so that Bangladesh nationals can easily go to SAARC and other countries.

As developed countries emit carbon for which the people of the least developed countries like Bangladesh suffers, the emission of carbon should be considered as 'Ecological Debt' in the SAARC Summit. The countries of SAARC should estimate the amount of loss by environment hazard and demand compensation from the developed countries.

EJWG demanded that Bangladesh should take initiative to amend the charter of SAARC so that member countries can freely talk and ask for redress about non-availability of water, salinity and other problems in any country by the action of any other member country.

EJWG observed that the effort of creating a SAARC Development Fund is good. It may be turned to SAARC Development Bank so that member countries do not need to go to existing multinational banks for fund of stringent conditions.