Dhaka, 08th December 2010: Today, EquityBD, a network of NGOs / CSOs in Bangladesh, called the government of Bangladesh to keep the World Bank out of climate financing in country’s climate adaptation plan. EquityBD has demand this issue through organizing a human chain with support of other like minded friends in front of national press club. They also criticized that the involvement of WB in country’s adaptation financing process might privilege the WB business interest and even undermine the government priorities in case of adaptation plan. They also said that, receiving loan from WB would impede the government voice in internationally on claiming of unconditional financial support for adaptation from rich countries.
The human chain is leaded by EquityBD and moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda (Coordinator EquityBD) and participate and speak by other representatives of 16 no of like minded network member.
Mr. Mahabub Hossen of CDP (Coastal Development Partnership) said that the WB is a credit lending organization whose target is doing business an making profit and now talking to save the environment which is very contradictory and funny, because the WB commitment never commensurate with its existing policy and actions in developing countries even Bangladesh. The nature of action of this organization is harmful for environment due to investing in the fossil fuel activities till date. So WB finance never support the climate even countries adaptation activities.
Syed Aminul Hoque of EquityBD said that WB is the selected agent of rich countries for their lending business, that’s why it would be impossible to implement any pro-poor adaptation action for government. He also said that, WB doesn’t have enough money for adaptation financing except conduct of some research activities. So that it’s clear that WB will never finance the country’s adaptation plan really which is pressing need for our poor and climate change victims.
Md. Sahidullah from SURO said that, the rich countries and big carbon emitters don’t follow the Kyoto Protocol agreement for financial support for poor countries which is breaching their commitment and searching business mechanism in the name of financing. That’s why they insist and provocation the poor countries to endorse the WB involvement in climate finance. He also urges to the global leader to follow the UNFCCC process for climate finance and demanded to keep the WB out of this process.
Mr. Firoj Ahmed of Lead Trust condemned some of our bureaucrats for unethical perusing the government to take the loan from WB, because it will serve their personal interest. He advised the government to be alert from this hypocrisy for the sake of poor people and refrain from taking any loan from WB in the name of climate finance which ultimately made the country indebted instead of real improvement of climate change vulnerability.
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