‘Environmental balance being lost due to Rohingyas’

Senior Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina informed the world community that Cox's Bazar is losing its environmental balance as the Rohingya repatriation process is being procrastinated.

She mentioned that it will be good for Bangladesh if the Rohingya people are sent back to their homeland Myanmar soon.

The premier made the remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the ‘Dhaka Meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation’ at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Regarding the 11 lakh Rohingyas who have been given shelter to Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said, “We have given them shelter on humanitarian grounds. But due to them, the environmental balance of the region is getting lost.”

“Settlements are being established in that area cutting down forests and hills, as a result those areas are becoming insecure and risky too," she said.

She said Bangladesh wants that the Rohingyas return to their homeland as soon as possible. "The quicker they will return to their homeland, that will be better for Bangladesh and I believe that," she added.

The Prime Minister also sought global leaders’ enhanced awareness about the climate change phenomenon and their effective initiatives to negate its impacts.

“I request all for their awareness and respective responsibility to fight the adverse impacts of climate change,” she said.

The prime minister urged the world community to put more emphasis on research and investment on this issue as the climate change is fast impacting on agriculture, life and livelihood.

Marshal Islands President Hilda C. Heine, former United Nations Secretary General and incumbent Global Commission on Adaptation Chairman Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva were present at the function.

Speaking on the occasion, the three dignitaries highly praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her extraordinary leadership to lead the world to address the adverse impacts of climate change from the fore front.

Hailing Bangladesh’s initiatives and strategies to fight the climate change impacts, Ban Ki-moon said “Of Course we are here to learn from Bangladesh — .When comes to adaptation; Bangladesh is the best teacher to learn about adaptation.”

Wishing a complete success of the Dhaka Meeting of GCA, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said “This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate our own strategies to adapt to climate change, build resilience as well as offer to share our knowledge and experience with you.”

“We are eagerly waiting to see the recommendations of the flagship report next September at the time of the climate change summit called by the secretary general of the United Nations where I, on behalf of Bangladesh and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have been invited to speak,” she said.

Bangladesh is expecting to take advantage of the best adaptation practices, most cost-effective solutions and risk reduction with the help of the Global Commission on Adaptation, she said.

The premier said that being a leading country of Adaptation, Bangladesh deserves to have a Regional Adaption Centre here.

Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md. Shahab Uddin also spoke on the occasion.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/July 10, 2019/Reza/AI