The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

The participants at a discussion meeting held at Barisal B M College on Sunday afternoon suggested for expanding only eco-friendly tourism in the coastal region maintaining bio-diversity and healthy climate environment. They called all sections of people across the country to get aware, awaken and united to wage social movement against climate change effects by developing efficient water management, irrigation systems and changing cropping patterns.

They also called to devise appropriate strategy, focusing on the rational demands of the people of Bangladesh affected by climate change, for signing a fair deal at Copenhagen Convention to realize compensation from the industrialist countries responsible for adverse impacts of climate change.

The speakers and the attending teachers, students, journalists and elites stressing on creating mass awareness viewed that climate change had posed a great threat to agriculture, environment, ecology, bio-diversity, food and national security and even human rights, socio-economical balance and human habitation across the globe. Stamford University (SU) and Elevating Society through Skill Development (ESSD) jointly arranged the discussion presided over by Fatinaz Firoz, vice president SU and Chairman ESSD.

Majida Rashid Shirin, Executive Director of ESSD, delivered the welcome address where Prof Md. Hanif, renowned educationist, as the chief guest, Prof. Dr. Nani Gopal Das, Principal of the college, Nurun Nahar Bulbul, Member , AKM Jahangir, Director SU and ESSD and Prof Badiur Rahman, Executive Editor Bangladesh Samoy, attended the programme as special guests.

Dr. Majibur Rahman, Additional Registrar and Director of SU Research and Development and Convener of Climate Change Action Committee, presented the key note paper on the topics with audio-visual and interaction affects.

The participants and discussants said that Bangladesh is one of those countries, which make comparatively insignificant contribution to the causes of climate change but extremely vulnerable to its effects. Tragic part of the story is that the country's vulnerability to climate change is inflamed by apparent failures in governance, non-sustainable use of resources and ignorance, they opined. Bangladesh at the frontline of most affected 14 countries is now facing regular threats of hurricane, tidal surge, draught, river erosion, waterlogging and increase in salinity because of impact of climate change, they added.

Climate change has posed a serious threat to country's coastal region including largest mangrove forest Sundarban and would be severely affected and inundated if no immediate measures are taken to check climate change impact, the discussants viwed. Thus from coastal populations in the south to those relying on irrigation for agriculture in the north have become vulnerable communities affected by climate change.

The organisers of the programme placed an charter of demands including compensation to the poor countries by the rich nations responsible for global warming and climate change effects, lessening greenhouse gas emission, unconditional funding by the rich countries to lessen climate change effects, providing fund to the poor nations for buying technology to fight climate change effects and immigration of climate change refugees in the rich countries.