[🇧🇩] Save the Rivers/Forests/Hills-----Save the Environment

[Saif]

Reclaiming canals: Now or never

With the canal reclamation drive on the agenda of the interim government, one wonders whether it makes Dhaka dwellers at all optimistic about its success, given the decades of repeated failures to accomplish the task. Despite the undeniable benefits of reclaiming lost and threatened canals, urban e

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Reclaiming canals: Now or never
Wasi Ahmed
Published :
Feb 18, 2025 22:49
Updated :
Feb 18, 2025 22:49

A canal in Dhaka illegally occupied by local people is filled with household waste and garbage. —Collected Photo

With the canal reclamation drive on the agenda of the interim government, one wonders whether it makes Dhaka dwellers at all optimistic about its success, given the decades of repeated failures to accomplish the task. Despite the undeniable benefits of reclaiming lost and threatened canals, urban experts remain sceptical due to the authorities' long history of inaction. Successive governments have pledged to take strict measures, yet tangible results remain elusive. The interim government's advisor for water resources, climate change, and environment, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, has announced an ambitious plan to reclaim nineteen canals across the capital this year by evicting encroachers. Of these, six canals-Baunia Canal, Rupnagar Canal, Begunbari Canal, Manda Canal, Kalunagar Canal, and Korail Lake-will be freed from encroachment and pollution before the upcoming monsoon. Speaking at the inauguration of the restoration works under Dhaka's two city corporations, the advisor also revealed plans to begin reclaiming 13 additional canals shortly. The government intends to introduce agricultural activities, greenery, and fish farming along the banks of the restored canals, while urging city dwellers to actively engage in the protection of these vital waterways. This time, the authorities seem more cautious than ever, acknowledging past failures and leveraging the advantage of being free from political influences. A key difference in this initiative is the level of inter-agency collaboration and community involvement, which was absent in previous efforts. For the first time, four ministries-Local Government, Environment, Water Resources, and Housing and Public Works-are jointly overseeing the project. Supporting entities include Dhaka WASA, Rajuk, the district administration, NGOs such as BAPA and Green Voice, and the Bangladesh Army. The plan involves demarcating canal boundaries, cleaning polluted waters, conserving canal banks, and integrating waste management and drainage systems. The first phase of work covers 23.66 kilometres across six canals: Baunia Canal (7.19km), Rupnagar Canal (3.5km), Begunbari Canal (1.69km), and Karail Lake (2.45km). Manda Canal (4.37km) and Kalunagar Canal (4.46km). Subsequent phases will reclaim 13 additional canals, including Boalia, Dumni, Shyampur, and Satarkul. A contemporary had reported some time ago that 39 canals in and around Dhaka have totally disappeared. Those that are still alive are mostly in the grip of influential quarters. Besides, due to construction of roads and walkways on both sides of the canals, there is hardly any space left to maintain them to allow discharge of water. On the other hand, unplanned urbanisation has led to the building of box culverts over the canals, an act believed to be instrumental in killing the vital arteries of the capital. According to the Dhaka WASA, until 1985, the capital had 54 canals and most of those were interlinked making their ultimate journey towards the four rivers around the city. It is not at all difficult to detect how most of them got lost or buried and the nature of hindrance that rendered them so. All it takes, according to the experts, is political will - one that we happen to experience only occasionally. In fact, it doesn't require an expert to bring home the importance of canals in rescuing Dhaka from the dreadful water logging and a host of other attendant problems and public sufferings. However, help from the experts is necessary to identify the routes of the canals lost to human greed and misdeeds. Professor Ainun Nishat, noted environmentalist, in an interview with a local daily, commented that tracing the routes of the canals can easily be done from documents, including the length and breadth of each and every canal. The Dhaka district administration can play a lead role in this. Most of the canals are 'owned' by the district authority. The Dhaka WASA is in charge of maintaining about two dozens of canals, the remaining few are virtually 'orphans' with no single agency assigned to maintain them. Another renowned urban expert Professor Nazrul Islam commented that the only way we can hope to recover the lost canals and maintain those is through enacting a law. Experts emphasise that once the reclamation work is completed, a long-term maintenance and monitoring plan must be in place to prevent future encroachment and degradation. Local communities should be actively involved in keeping the canals clean and functional. Awareness campaigns, legal enforcement, and community participation should go hand in hand to make this initiative a lasting success. Without a structured maintenance strategy, Dhaka risks falling back into the same cycle of negligence and destruction, rendering the entire effort futile. Canals in many big cities are life-lines potentially capable of cleansing the cities from dirt and garbage in a natural way-- besides flashing out rain waters as well as containing flash floods to a great extent. In Thailand's capital Bangkok, canals crisscrossing the city are also a treat for the eyes. The clean flow of water, courtesy of painstaking maintenance, is a good enough respite for the city dwellers amid the city's din and bustle. In traffic-choked Dhaka, canals could also be an alternative mode of travel for commuters, provided such a scheme is well designed and strictly enforced. But before we indulge in such wishful daydreams, we must see the canals first.​

 

[Saif]

Country needs to brace for climate catastrophe

Bangladesh has to bear the brunt of awful climate impacts though its contribution to global warming is negligible, believed to be less than 0.47 per cent of global emission. The Bonn-based green organisation Germanwatch reaffirmed this phenomenon and focused on how climate change is likely to leave

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Country needs to brace for climate catastrophe
Sarker Nazrul Islam
Published :
Feb 18, 2025 22:39
Updated :
Feb 18, 2025 22:39

Bangladesh has to bear the brunt of awful climate impacts though its contribution to global warming is negligible, believed to be less than 0.47 per cent of global emission. The Bonn-based green organisation Germanwatch reaffirmed this phenomenon and focused on how climate change is likely to leave disproportionate impact on countries like Bangladesh. It estimates that climate-induced disasters inflict a loss of $3.0 billion on this country annually and affect above 6.3 million of its people.

Because of its unique location and geophysical formation, Bangladesh is a disaste- prone deltaic plain, battered almost regularly by cyclones, floods, heat waves, erratic rainfall and drought that seriously hinder its development efforts. In recent years, these extreme climatic events are taking place in Bangladesh more frequently and with increased fierceness. Quoting Germanwatch, this newspaper reports that cyclones have assumed a more devastating proportion and are taking place recurrently in the Bay of Bengal under the impact of global warming. Bangladesh was devastated by some 49 cyclones since 1960 and was swept over by as many as five cyclones just in twelve months beginning from May 2023.

Scorching heat waves have become an almost common feature of the country's weather pattern during the summer months. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department, mercury rose to a record high of 43.8 degree Celsius in Jashore in April last year. The World Weather Attribution claims that climate change has made heat wave 30 times more likely, indicating a growing threat of compounding climate disasters.

Drought is increasingly becoming more and more damaging due to declining rainfall ? for example, 66 per cent in April, 44 per cent in May and as low as 16 per cent in June in 2023. But the most devastating impact of climate change on this low lying country is that some 17 per cent of the country's total area along the coastal belt is likely to be permanently submerged under seawater due to rise of the sea level by only one metre at the end of the century. This will lead to a complete destruction of the flora and fauna of the affected areas, forcing millions to migrate to other areas.

The combined effect of all these climate calamities will lead to a human catastrophe in this most densely populated country. Poverty of about 21 per cent of the population is a harsh reality, only to be aggravated by almost every disaster. Poverty scenario follows a cyclic pattern in this country due in part to climate catastrophe: as a section of the poor people somehow pulls itself out of poverty, another section slides down to it following a disaster. Climate catastrophes make poverty eradication a difficult task in this country.

Germanwatch underscores the need for urgent action as climate crisis is increasingly becoming a worldwide security risk with the intensification of global warming. It also called for increased climate finance for vulnerable countries to keep global warming near the set target of 1.5 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial level. Though some of the wealthy nations like Spain, Italy and Greece are exposed to Nature's fury, coastal countries such as Bangladesh are most vulnerable to it. Since these countries have to suffer the impact of global warming despite no or negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emission, they deserve due compensation from the worst polluters to tide over the crisis. Experts suggest, as the global climate change is taking place due to GHG emission by developed countries, they are obligated to provide for the loss-and-damage fund as adopted by the UN at the Dubai climate conference in 2023. Bangladesh must strive hard to get its legitimate share of the global climate fund and at the same time go on with its own mitigation and adaptation programme.​

 

[Saif]

Wealthy nations owe Bangladesh $5.8 trillion in climate debt

ActionAid says

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Wealthy nations owe Bangladesh $5.8 trillion in climate debt
ActionAid says

Bangladesh, a country grappling with an increasing external debt burden, is owed a staggering $5.8 trillion in climate debt by rich, high-polluting nations, according to a report by ActionAid released this month.

The report, titled "Who Owes Who?", highlights the urgent need for debt cancellation and global financial justice.

Based on historic and projected atmospheric appropriation using low-range estimates since 1992, wealthy nations owe Bangladesh $5.8 trillion in climate debt, the report said.

It also underscored the stark imbalance between the debts that low- and lower-middle-income countries owe and the obligations that high-income countries continue to evade.

The report said that as we enter 2025, 54 countries are in a debt crisis and are being forced to cut spending on basic public services and climate action in order to pay external debts.

Bangladesh, whose external public sector debt stood at $84.44 billion as of September 2024, made debt repayments totalling $4.77 billion to its creditors in 2023.

The country on the Bay of Bengal, one of the most vulnerable to climate change, has to divert its resources towards debt repayment rather than essential public services, while wealthier nations fail to meet their own financial obligations relating to climate justice and reparations.

In 2024, Bangladesh spent 16.9 per cent of its national revenue on external debt repayments, while only 3.08 per cent was allocated to health and 11.73 per cent to education.

"Bangladesh needs debt cancellation and freedom from colonial debt structures to address both the debt crisis and climate change," ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir said.

The new report highlights the debt burden of low- and lower-middle-income countries versus the financial obligations of rich nations regarding climate damages, compensations, and unmet commitments, she added.

The Global South, which broadly represents countries mostly in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, must secure debt cancellation and push for the establishment of a new UN Framework Convention on debt this year.

She emphasised the impact of the climate crisis, especially on women and girls.

"We have seen time and again how women are at the forefront of the climate crisis. The failure by the rich polluting countries to pay their climate debt is standing in the way of mitigation and adaptation."

The ActionAid report said that lower-income countries collectively paid $138 billion just to service their debts last year, sacrificing health, education, people's rights, and sustainable national development to satisfy wealthy creditors.

It said that, based on the most systematic studies, the climate debt that rich polluting countries owe low- and lower-middle-income countries is $107 trillion.

This is more than 70 times greater than the total external debt of $1.45 trillion that these countries collectively owe.

The report urges global leaders to unite in demanding debt cancellation as part of payment of the climate debt and other reparations owed by high-income countries.

"As Bangladesh and other vulnerable nations continue to struggle under the weight of an unjust financial system, the findings of this report reinforce the need for urgent global action to address both debt injustice and the climate crisis."​

 

[Saif]

Global glacier melt is accelerating, scientists say

Ice loss from the world’s glaciers has accelerated over the past decade, scientists said on Wednesday, warning that melting may be faster than previously expected in the coming years and drive sea levels higher...

www.newagebd.net

Global glacier melt is accelerating, scientists say
Agence France-Presse . Paris 20 February, 2025, 22:58

AFP file photo

Ice loss from the world’s glaciers has accelerated over the past decade, scientists said on Wednesday, warning that melting may be faster than previously expected in the coming years and drive sea levels higher.

The world’s glaciers, which are important climate regulators and hold freshwater resources for billions, are rapidly melting as the world warms.

In a first-of-its-kind global assessment, an international team of researchers found a sharp increase in melting over the past decade, with around 36 per cent more ice lost in the 2012 to 2023 period than in the years from 2000 to 2011.

On average some 273 billion tonnes of ice are being lost per year — equivalent to the world population’s water consumption for 30 years, they said.

The findings are ‘shocking’ if not altogether surprising as global temperatures rise with humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions, said Michael Zemp, a professor at the University of Zurich, who was a co-author of the assessment published in the journal Nature.

Overall, researchers found that the world’s glaciers have lost around five per cent of their volume since the turn of the century, with wide regional differences ranging from a two-per cent loss in Antarctica to up to 40 per cent in the European Alps.

Zemp said that regions with smaller glaciers are losing them faster, and many ‘will not survive the present century’.

The research — coordinated by the World Glacier Monitoring Service, The University of Edinburgh and research group Earthwave — was an effort to bring together field and satellite measurements to create a ‘reference estimate’ for tracking ice loss.

Zemp, who leads the WGMS, said the team’s observations and recent modelling studies suggest that glacier melt this century will be faster than projected in the most recent assessment by United Nations IPCC climate experts.

‘Hence, we are facing higher sea-level rise until the end of this century than expected before,’ he said, adding that glacier loss would also impact fresh water supplies, particularly in central Asia and the central Andes.

Glaciers are the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise — after the rise caused by the expansion of seawater as it warms.

The nearly two centimetres of sea level rise attributed to glacier melt since 2000 means almost four million more people on the world’s coasts made vulnerable to flooding, scientists have estimated.

So far smaller glaciers are the main contributors to sea level rise, but Martin Siegert, a Professor at the University of Exeter who was not involved in the study, said the research was ‘concerning’.

That is because it predicts further glacier losses and could indicate how Antarctica and Greenland’s vast ice sheets react to global warming.

‘Ice sheets are now losing mass at increasing rates — six times more than 30 years ago — and when they change, we stop talking centimetres and start talking metres,’ he said.

Glaciers have been a key bellwether for human-caused climate change for decades, with WGMS data going back more than a century.

In the 20th century, assessments were based on field measurements from some 500 glaciers—involving scientists digging a hole on the top to record the amount of fresh snow that year and then assessing ice amounts lost on the ‘tongue’ where the melting ice flows.

More recently, satellites have allowed scientists to better track changes across the world’s 2,75,000 glaciers — using cameras, radar, lasers and methods to assess the Earth’s mass.

In January, the United Nations said saving the world’s glaciers was an important ‘survival strategy’ for the planet.

To do that, ‘you have to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, it is as simple and as complicated as that,’ said Zemp.

‘Every tenth of a degree warming that we avoid saves us money, saves us lives, saves us problems.’​

 

[Saif]

Biodiversity starts thriving in St Martin’s island after tourism restrictions

With tourists barred from visiting the coral reef island Saint Martin’s on Bay of Bengal from 1 February, the island's deserted beaches are now teeming with snails and oysters. Green mangrove forest and Keya plant (Pandanus tectorius) are also emerging at Diyarmatha and Chheradia on the...

en.prothomalo.com

Biodiversity starts thriving in St Martin’s island after tourism restrictions
Abdul Kuddus
Cox’s Bazar
Published: 20 Feb 2025, 09: 21

Saint Martin Island Prothom Alo

With tourists barred from visiting the coral reef island, Saint Martin’s, on Bay of Bengal from 1 February, the island’s deserted beaches are now teeming with snails and oysters.

Green mangrove forest and Keya plant (Pandanus tectorius) are also emerging at Diyarmatha and Chheradia on the southern side of the island.

The 8-square kilometer Saint Martin’s is the only coral-reef island in the Bay of Bengal.

Located in Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar, tourists used to be able to visit the island until 31 March in other years. However, the island was open for tourists until 31 January this year. While earlier 5,000 tourists would visit the island every day, only 2,000 tourists were allowed to visit it every day this season.

Various studies have shown that Saint Martin has 1,076 species of flora and fauna, including coral, algae, turtles, snails, oysters, marine fish, birds, mammals, and crabs.

The island’s sandbanks are also the nesting grounds for the Olive Ridley sea turtles, one the endangered species of sea turtles of the world.

However, the island has become endangered due to uncontrolled infrastructure building, influx of unchecked number of tourists and the consequential environmental pollution.

The Department of Environment (DoE) organised a two-day cleaning campaign across the island after the tourists were banned. The authorities used drones to identify and remove garbage on the island. Volunteers removed 930 kg of waste in the campaign.

Md Jamir Uddin, Deputy Director of the Cox’s Bazar office of the DoE, told Prothom Alo that a team from the department reached the island on 5 February, and identified the places where waste was lying through multiple drones.

The Department of Environment (DoE) observed a two-day cleaning campaign across the island after the tourists were banned. The authorities used drones to identify and remove garbage on the island. Volunteers removed 930 kg of waste in the two-day campaign
He said the removal of this waste began on 12 February. Nearly 90 per cent of the waste was chips packets, polythene and packets of biscuits. Earlier, plastic waste was removed from various areas including beaches in a joint initiative of a private organisation and the DoE.

The official of DoE added that as tourists were barred and movement of battery-run auto-rickshaw and motorcycle stopped, a layer of snails and oysters had already started to accumulate on at least a 7-8 kilometer stretch of the beach in the southeast and west of the island.

Snails and oysters prevent erosion of the beach and work as bulwark for sand dunes. Earlier, people used to collect snails and oyster from the beach and smuggle them to Myanmar. Furniture and garland are made from snails and oysters.

The DoE declared Saint Martin an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) back in 1999 to protect its biodiversity.

Lastly on 4 January 2023, according to the wildlife (conservation and security) act, the environment ministry declared 1,743 square kilometres of area in the Bay of Bengal adjoining Saint Martin’s island as a reserved area.

Earlier in 2016, ECA management rules were framed under the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act, 1995.

Nur Mohammad, 50, a local trader of Saint Martin said locals do not usually walk on beaches without any reason. They do not usually tread in Chheradia or Diarmatha area. But the tourists roam around the island in different vehicles.

The island has several kilometers of pucca road in the middle but going to Diyarmatha and Chheradia requires use of beaches. When vehicles ply on the beaches, various marine animals like snails, oysters and crabs get killed and biodiversity including corals and algae get destroyed.

He further said that many hotels, resorts and cottages have been built in ecologically critical and travel-prohibited areas, including Diyarmatha and Golachipa, on the island. Guests of these hotels have to travel via the beach.

According to him, as there are no tourists, marine life and biodiversity are being protected. Local people are fishing in the sea for a living, some are drying fish, while others are busy cultivating vegetables and watermelons.

Nazir Hossain, member of ward no. 9 of Saint Martin island, told Prothom Alo that green mangroves are growing in over one-acre beaches on the southern part, including Diyarmatha, of the island. The trees are growing fast. Locals are being monitored to ensure that they do not destroy the mangrove.

Saiful Islam, a resident of the southern part of the island, said the whirlwind created by the propellers of tourist ships used to make the blue water of the sea muddy. Water bottles, polythene, and packets of chips used to float in the sea water.

He pointed out that since the ship traffic has stopped, the sea water has now got back to its azure color. Plastic waste is no longer visible in the sea water.

DoE officials said a set of important decisions were taken in a meeting on 2 February to protect Saint Martin’s island. The garbage littered in the island was identified and removed as the first step.

As part of the next step, initiatives such as arranging drinkable water for the local people, preserving biodiversity, taking up power generation projects from waste and rehabilitating unemployed people will be taken, they added.

Abdur Rahim Jihadi, president of the Saint Martin Island Hotel Owners Association, told Prothom Alo that none of over 230 hotels, resorts, and cottages on the island have any environmental clearance.

Ibrahim Khalil, chief executive of the environmental organisation, Youth Environment Society (YES) in Cox’s Bazar, said that the island’s environment has improved by implementing the initiative to limit tourists for the first time. Due to strict monitoring during the travel period (December-January), coral was not collected from the sea.

He further stated that absence of tourists on the beach has created an environment for mother turtles to lay eggs. Red crabs, snails, and oysters have also been bred.​

 

[Saif]

How climate change drives social conflicts

The poor, particularly women and socially marginalised communities, are severely affected in all the climate hotspots.

www.thedailystar.net

How climate change drives social conflicts

Indiscriminate shrimp farming has destructed local ecology, fresh water sources, and common property resources in the coastal villages of southwest Bangladesh, leading to social conflicts in the region. SOURCE: BCAS

The impacts of climate change are visible in all crucial aspects of life, be it agriculture and food security or access to healthcare and human potential to work. In vulnerable regions, climate change, which is rapid and forceful, is aggravating the existing social and economic problems such as extreme poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, social conflicts over resources, and gender inequity. The 2022 Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) asserted that climate change is pushing us into a high-risk-centred world, where the growing impacts of climate change are limiting the adaptive capacity of humans as well as the ecosystems.

The National Adaptation Plan (2023-2050) of Bangladesh has identified several climate-induced stresses that are affecting regions, people, their livelihoods, and ecosystems across the country. Traditional occupational groups such as small farmers, fishers, daily wage earners, and people dependent on natural resources are suffering the most. The poor, particularly women and socially marginalised communities, are severely affected in all the climate hotspots; they are highly exposed and sensitive to climate disasters like extreme heat stress during summer, frequent and devastating floods, cyclones, tidal surges, and landslides. They lack adaptive capacity in terms of awareness, motivation, disaster preparedness, and resources to address climate change impacts.

It is evident that many climate-vulnerable people in Bangladesh mainly depend on their wage earnings and livelihoods based on natural resources (such as subsistence agriculture, fishing, and horticulture), which are again very sensitive to climate change. Furthermore, natural resources like forests and wetlands are very often captured and controlled by local influential people. Thus, climate change is increasing deprivation and social conflicts in the existing social systems, where local government institutions are weak and biased towards the power elites. Recent studies suggest that all the climate hotspots in Bangladesh have high levels of poverty, livelihood insecurity, and gender inequity. Many of the poor, especially women, are forced to migrate to the cities in search of livelihood options, where they live in the slums and fringe areas, in degraded social and environmental conditions.

The NETZ Bangladesh, an international development agency, recently conducted an exploratory study to understand the physical causes—like climate-induced stresses—as well as social causes of vulnerability and gender inequity in three climate-affected regions: southwest coastal areas, northwest drought-prone areas, and north-central river basin. The study also explored the nature and types of social conflicts triggered and aggravated by climate change. The surveyed people (covering 400 respondents) in the three study areas agreed on the rise of social conflicts (63 percent) during and after a climate disaster. Social conflicts were found to occur the most in the coastal region (82 percent), compared to the high Barind (61 percent) and the river basin (49 percent) areas. Over 90 percent of the respondents in coastal villages said they frequently face conflicts over accessing fresh water for small agriculture, catching fish in the open water bodies, and accessing grazing lands.

The study findings also reveal that social conflicts increase due to frequent natural disasters, salinity intrusion, high tides (linked to sea level rise) and waterlogging in coastal villages. Conflicts are increasing while collecting drinking water from limited sources of water, as the demand for fresh water is on the rise in climate-affected localities. Public water distribution points (like piped water supply and rainwater harvesting systems) are inadequate compared to the growing needs of the vast number of poor people. The poor are not allowed to send their cattle on the grazing lands. Agricultural lands owned by marginal farmers are often converted into shrimp farms forcefully. These are the main sources of social conflicts in coastal villages. Local rich people and power elites very often win in the fight since they are well-connected to political parties and local government institutions (LGIs).

The existing conflict resolution mechanisms do not protect the interest and rights of poor women, ethnic groups, and marginalised people. There is an urgent need for strengthening alternative and transformative conflict resolution mechanisms, where civil society groups and local partners can play a significant role in empowering the poor, particularly women, to pursue social justice and gender equity. LGIs like union parishads and sectoral agencies in the upazilas should be made more accountable and responsible to the poor, women, and socially excluded groups.

Furthermore, gendered drivers, such as women's lack of mobility and participation, as well the patriarchal norms and values affect the decision-making power of women, girls, and socially disadvantaged groups. Hence, the social capitals of the poor and women, in terms of organisational capacity, cohesiveness and raising collective voice, should be advanced with institutional linkages for locally led solutions, conflict resolution, and climate-resilient livelihoods. LGIs, NGOs, and civil society should promote gender-responsive and pro-poor adaptation and social protection mechanisms for poor women and marginalised groups, which will build resilience of the vulnerable communities and empower them, in order to ensure gender equity as well as a peaceful and just society in the long run. These should be supported by rights-based organisations and their networks.

Dr Dwijen L Mallick is fellow at Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS).​

 

[Saif]

Climate refugees must be protected

A recent survey found that climate refugees are falling victim to modern slavery, both at home and abroad.

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Climate refugees must be protected
The government must effectively tackle slavery suffered by climate migrants

VISUAL: STAR

We are alarmed by the findings of a recent survey that reveal that climate refugees from vulnerable regions across the country are falling victim to various forms of modern slavery, both at home and abroad. The survey, conducted on 648 households across 33 climate-vulnerable villages in Sylhet and Pirojpur districts, found that 92 percent of the internal migrants face at least one type of modern slavery, while over 52 percent endure more than three types. The situation is even more severe for international migrants, with 99 percent experiencing at least one type of modern slavery and 81 percent enduring more than five types. Those surveyed reported experiencing wage withholding, restricted movement, abusive conditions, threats, intimidation, and even physical violence.

Over the last six decades, climate-related disasters have reportedly almost doubled in Bangladesh—from four per year before 1990 to seven per year after—significantly impacting agriculture and livelihoods. Cyclones, river erosion, and saltwater intrusion have forced many families to relocate. The most recent example of climate-related disasters is last year's devastating floods, which affected millions of people. As the government's efforts to rehabilitate them have been largely inadequate, migration has become a common livelihood strategy for them. Sadly, their desperate attempts to survive often lead them to further predicament.

In climate-vulnerable areas such as Pirojpur and Sylhet, the majority of residents report rising temperatures and worsening river erosion, which has led to a surge in both internal and international migration. Since 2011, approximately 84 percent of affected families have relocated to cities like Dhaka, Khulna, and Chattogram in search of work, often in exploitative industries. Additionally, 88 percent have sent their relatives abroad, mainly to Gulf countries, where they have to endure harsh working conditions. Another recent study found that migration driven by debt repayment further worsens the financial conditions of these migrants.

This situation must be handled with urgency. We urge the government to take immediate and effective measures to rehabilitate climate refugees and address the challenges posed by climate-related migration. It is crucial to identify vulnerable communities and implement targeted action plans, including comprehensive social protection programmes and job creation initiatives. Additionally, developing disaster-resilient infrastructure could provide significant support to those most affected by extreme weather events. Addressing the plight of our climate refugees should be a top priority for the government.​

 

[Saif]

Govt to renovate 19 canals to resolve water logging in Dhaka

A master plan will be made to renovate 19 canals for resolving waterlogging in Dhaka, environment and water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Sunday. This plan has been taken to resolve waterlogging in various areas of the metropolis, including Dhanmondi and Malibagh, she added. The a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Govt to renovate 19 canals to resolve water logging in Dhaka
FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Feb 23, 2025 18:54
Updated :
Feb 23, 2025 18:54

A master plan will be made to renovate 19 canals for resolving waterlogging in Dhaka, environment and water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Sunday.

This plan has been taken to resolve waterlogging in various areas of the metropolis, including Dhanmondi and Malibagh, she added.

The adviser said that the work will be taken forward through a monthly action plan. To prevent pollution, owners of multi-story buildings will have to ensure their own sewage management. Canals will be restored, and more trees will be planted on the banks.

She said these while speaking as the chief guest at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Dhaka South City Corporation's Nagar Bhaban.

The meeting discussed waterlogging in the city, restoration of canals and water bodies, and eviction of illegal structures.

The environmental adviser said that in order to eliminate waterlogging, regular excavation and regular water flow measures should be taken along with a long-term plan.

For this, effective coordination and strict monitoring are required among the concerned agencies. The government is committed to keeping canals and water bodies free from encroachment and ensuring proper management, she added.

The meeting, chaired by Local Government Department Secretary Md Nizam Uddin, was attended by representatives of various ministries and agencies, including Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Nazmul Ahsan, Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation Mohammad Ejaz, and Administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation Md. Shahjahan Miah.

The meeting discussed in detail the ongoing and future plans to eliminate waterlogging in the city and decided to take immediate effective steps.​

 

[Saif]

Final notice issued to 2,046 factories: Operate ETPs or face action

The Department of Environment (DoE) has taken stringent measures to prevent pollution in the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag, and Balu. A total of 2,046 industrial factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdi have been served final notices, instruct

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Final notice issued to 2,046 factories: Operate ETPs or face action
UNB
Published :
Feb 24, 2025 23:01
Updated :
Feb 24, 2025 23:01

The Department of Environment (DoE) has taken stringent measures to prevent pollution in the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag, and Balu.

A total of 2,046 industrial factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdi have been served final notices, instructing them to keep their Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) operational at all times.

As per the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010) and the Environment Conservation Rules, 2023, factories discharging liquid waste are legally required to operate ETPs and, in the case of sewage waste, Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).

But many factories either fail to install ETPs or do not run them continuously, discharging untreated waste into the rivers.

The notices were issued between 13 February and 22 February 2025, warning factory owners to ensure the uninterrupted operation of their ETPs and comply with environmental regulations.

Failure to adhere to these directives will result in strict legal actions, the DoE warned.​

 

[Saif]

HC orders dismantling of illegal brick kilns nationwide

The High Court has ordered the removal of all illegal brick kilns across the country in strict compliance with legal provisions and directed that a report be submitted to it by March 17. The order was issued on Monday by the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdh

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

HC orders dismantling of illegal brick kilns nationwide
UNB
Published :
Feb 24, 2025 20:15
Updated :
Feb 24, 2025 20:15

The High Court has ordered the removal of all illegal brick kilns across the country in strict compliance with legal provisions and directed that a report be submitted to it by March 17.

The order was issued on Monday by the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury after eight officials appeared before the court and submitted written explanations.

Additionally, the Director General of the Department of Environment, along with the Divisional Commissioners of Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barishal, Rangpur, and Mymensingh, have been summoned to explain their failure to take effective action against illegal brick kilns and the use of wood as fuel. They have been instructed to appear in person on March 17 to provide their explanations.

Senior lawyer Manzill Murshid represented the petitioner in the court hearing, while lawyer Fahima Nasrin Munni appeared for the Brick Kiln Owners' Association. Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state.

During the hearing, the High Court stated, “We must protect the country’s environment. Our normal lives are increasingly being disrupted. If environmental pollution continues at this rate, none of us will survive.”

Earlier on Monday morning, the Divisional Commissioners of Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna, as well as the Deputy Commissioners of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, and Kurigram, and the Upazila Nirbahi Officers of Savar and Dhamrai, appeared before the court in response to a summons regarding the failure to take effective measures against illegal brick kilns. They submitted their written explanations before the court.

Those who have provided written explanations have been exempted from personal appearances, but they have been directed to submit a complete report by March 17.​

 

[Saif]

CORPORATE CLIMATE ACTION: Solution or illusion?

IN THE fight against climate change, corporations are no longer bystanders but major players — with their actions determining the fate of our planet. With their expansive operations and influence, multinational giants exert unparalleled power to shape the planet’s future. While their ambitious...

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CORPORATE CLIMATE ACTION: Solution or illusion?
Md Zahurul Al Mamun 26 February, 2025, 00:00

IN THE fight against climate change, corporations are no longer bystanders but major players — with their actions determining the fate of our planet. With their expansive operations and influence, multinational giants exert unparalleled power to shape the planet’s future. While their ambitious net-zero pledges and glossy sustainability reports paint an optimistic picture, the reality on the ground often tells a different story. For companies like Unilever and Coca-Cola, which are celebrated as leaders in corporate sustainability, their efforts frequently exacerbate existing global inequalities, shifting the burden of climate action onto vulnerable nations like Bangladesh. This dynamic, often described as environmental colonialism, raises a critical question: Are we witnessing genuine sustainability efforts, or is this another chapter of corporate greenwashing — one that demands immediate accountability?

Unilever: sustainability or greenwashing?

Unilever, a consumer goods giant with a significant presence in Bangladesh, has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2039 and reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Initiatives such as the Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP) and a €1 billion investment in the Climate & Nature Fund reflect its commitment to deforestation-free supply chains and sustainable farming practices. However, while the headlines are grand, the ground reality is far more nuanced.

Unilever sources tea and other agricultural products from Bangladesh, often through complex networks of smallholder farmers. While promoting ‘sustainable sourcing’ on a global scale, the company’s practices in Bangladesh have been criticised for placing the burden of meeting sustainability standards disproportionately on these farmers, who often lack the resources and technical support to implement the required changes. This raises a fundamental question: can a profit-driven multinational achieve true sustainability without exacerbating existing inequalities?

Unilever’s operations in Bangladesh have also exacerbated the country’s mounting plastic waste crisis. Bangladesh generates over 800,000 metric tons of plastic waste annually, of which only 31 per cent is recycled. A significant portion of this waste consists of single-use packaging associated with FMCG—a category dominated by Unilever. While Unilever has launched recycling initiatives, these programs remain limited in scale and effectiveness. In a nation with inadequate waste management infrastructure, much of this plastic packaging associated with Unilever’s products ends up in landfills, waterways, and drainage systems, worsening environmental pollution and public health risks.

Unilever’s sustainability narrative has not gone unchallenged. In 2021, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the environmental claims of several multinational corporations, including Unilever, questioning whether their marketing practices were misleading consumers about the true environmental impact of their products. Critics argue that while Unilever emphasises ambitious global targets, these often obscure the local realities of its operations, where the environmental and social costs of sustainability efforts fall disproportionately on marginalised communities. These concerns highlight a broader doubt about corporate transparency in sustainability efforts.

Coca-Cola: a plastic paradox

THE greenwashing is even more pronounced in the case of Coca-Cola, the world’s largest beverage company. Coca-Cola has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and reduce absolute GHG emissions by 25 per cent by 2030. It has also committed to using 100 per cent renewable electricity and incorporating at least 50 per cent recycled content in its packaging by 2030. While Coca-Cola’s commitment to sustainability is grand, on-the-ground realities paint a starkly different picture.

In Bangladesh, where single-use plastics are a growing environmental crisis due to inadequate waste collection and recycling infrastructure, Coca-Cola’s high volume of single-use plastic bottles exacerbates the problem. According to the Environment and Social Development Organisation’s Brand Audit 2022, Coca-Cola has been the leading contributor to single-use plastic pollution in Bangladesh for the fifth consecutive year, accounting for 20.78 per cent of the total plastic waste collected during the audit. This overwhelming waste clogs drainage systems exacerbate flooding during monsoons, pollute rivers and canals, and wreak havoc on aquatic ecosystems, creating severe environmental and public health challenges.

In response to mounting criticism, Coca-Cola has piloted recycling projects in Bangladesh, partnering with SR Asia and Cordaid Bangladesh to collect and recycle PET bottles in collaboration with Dhaka South and North City Corporations. However, these efforts only address a fraction of the plastic waste Coca-Cola generates annually. Furthermore, the focus on recycling shifts responsibility from the producer to the consumer, perpetuating what researchers call the ‘plastic paradox.’ And a more alarming fact: in December 2024, Coca-Cola dropped its reuse targets and reduced its plastic recycling goals, further undermining its global sustainability commitments. So, the question remains: how can a company whose business model is predicated on high-volume plastic consumption genuinely contribute to a sustainable future, especially in countries with limited waste management capacity?

Coca-Cola’s global credibility has also been challenged. In 2021, a lawsuit filed in Washington DC accused the company of misleading consumers about the recyclability of its plastic bottles, exposing inconsistencies between its sustainability claims and actual practices. These allegations have widened the credibility gap and highlighted the systemic challenges of aligning high-consumption business models with true sustainability. The plastic paradox — the tension between high-consumption models and sustainability goals—remains unresolved.

Environmental colonialism

ONE of the most troubling aspects of corporate climate action is the outsourcing of environmental costs to developing nations. As companies in the Global North race to achieve net-zero emissions, the environmental and economic burdens of these goals are often passed down to the Global South. This dynamic incarnates modern environmental colonialism, where wealthy nations and corporations exploit the resources of poorer countries and reap the benefits of a ‘green’ image while leaving them to bear the brunt of environmental degradation.

For Bangladesh, this reality is already unfolding. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Bangladesh faces devastating climate impacts, compounded by the inequities embedded in corporate sustainability practices. Achieving its ambitious climate goals under the Paris Agreement requires substantial financial and technical support, which domestic resources alone cannot provide. If multinational corporations truly seek to support Bangladesh’s climate resilience, they must move beyond superficial commitments. Long-term partnerships rooted in local knowledge and capacity building are essential to ensure that corporate initiatives lead to meaningful change rather than perpetuating existing inequalities.

Solution or illusion?

THE climate crisis demands transformative corporate action, not superficial pledges or public relations exercises. Multinational corporations have the power to drive meaningful change, but only if they confront the systemic injustices embedded in their supply chains and business models. Addressing the climate crisis is not just about reducing emissions or recycling a few bottles — it requires dismantling the structures that allow wealthy nations and corporations to benefit at the expense of vulnerable communities in the Global South.

Corporate climate action must be held to account for its full spectrum of environmental and social impacts. Transparency, accountability, and equitable partnerships are non-negotiable. Anything less is not just inadequate — it is a betrayal of the very principles of sustainability and justice.

Md Zahurul Al Mamun is a climate change researcher and analyst.​

 

[Saif]

Honking a major concern on country's campuses: Rizwana

Sound pollution caused by excessive honking is a major issue on the country's university campuses, said Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today

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Honking a major concern on country's campuses: Rizwana

Photo: Collected

Sound pollution caused by excessive honking is a major issue on the country's university campuses, said Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today.

The adviser made the remark during the inauguration ceremony of the "Chattogram Research and Innovation Fair 2025 on Chittagong University campus. Jamal Nazrul Islam Research Center for Mathematics and Physical Sciences organised the event.

"Many people in the country are unaware that honking is both harmful to human health and illegal. Some intentionally use horns excessively. If awareness can be spread among the public, it may help reduce sound pollution," she said.

Highlighting the contribution of country's farmers, Rizwana pointed out that research isn't limited to teachers.

Many farmers in Bangladesh are also engaged in research and have already developed new varieties using traditional methods, she said.

She emphasised that the most crucial aspect of research is objectivity. If research is conducted within a government institution, the results should not be manipulated to fit the institution's preferences.

The research fair saw participation from over 100 schools, colleges, and university departments, along with research laboratories and institutes from within and beyond the Chattogram Division.

More than 190 stalls showcased research works and contributions from the past year.

CU Vice-Chancellor DR Muhammad Yeahia Akhter stressed on the importance of reforming the education systems, saying neglecting this sector is not an option as it is considered as the backbone of a nation.

The VC urged the government to take steps -- whether by forming a commission or through other means -- to make education student-friendly and research-oriented.

CU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr Shamim Uddin Khan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Kamal Uddin, Dean of the Faculty of Science Professor Dr Al-Amin, Dr Yasser Khan, a google award-winning researcher and teacher of the University of Southern California, were present at the event.​