The climate change adaptation should start from the protection of coastal lands and their inhabitants, observed civil society representatives in the capital yesterday, reports BSS. They said priority allocation should be made to build critical infrastructures like embankment along the coast to protect the vast lands and the vulnerable communities. The observations were made at a seminar titled “Post Paris Implications: Priority Actions for Climate Adaptation in National Budget and Planning” at the National Press Club in the capital. Organised by Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD), the seminar was chaired by Dr Ahsan Uddin of CGC, said a press release. AKM Jahangir, MP, spoke as the chief guest, while Syed Aminul Haque of EquityBD presented the keynote paper.
Sayed Aminul Haque in his key note presentation pointed out that the definition of poverty need to be redefined as the per capita income has increased while new dimension of climate vulnerability has emerged. He said the seventh five year plan (7th FYP) being prepared without such vulnerability analysis and adaptation panning. There are hardly any allocation for embankment from the national exchequer, Haque said in his paper urging the government to reduce dependency on credits from World Bank or Asian Development Bank. Three parliament members from the coast -Sajahan Kamal, Advocate Tipu Sultan and Mir Mostaq Ahmed- pleaded for separate institution like Char or Coastal Board and a separate ministry for protecting coastal people. Syed Jahangir Masum from CDP demanded a separate land use planning for coastal areas while Dr Khalid Hossain from CCDB said there should be coordination mechanism among all climate-related strategic plans. Dr Abdul Marin raised the appropriateness of the Delta Plan being prepared by a foreign consultant. He put a note of caution that without transboundary water sharing agreement such Delta Plan would not work.
Zakir Hossain Khan from TIB said the government must ensure transparency and accountability of its key institutions involved in climate financing and implementation. Otherwise, he said, foreign assistance would turn to jeopardy. Sharmind Neelormi from CSRL mentioned that the government must take a master plan to ensure safe drinking water supply in coastal areas. She also said the Bangladesh Water Development Board has to be reformed and the participation of local communities must be ensured in its every planning and projects. Rezaul Karim of Equity BD, who moderated the programme, mentioned that there will be no sense of security among coastal people without durable embankments along the coast. In absence of embankments, he said, the people from the coast would flee and migrate to urban areas aggravating the existing challenges of the cities.