Khulna, 2nd April 2015: Today fourteen Bangladeshi civil society organizations and networks have organized a press conference in Khulna press club, and they have mentioned that “Climate induced displacement deserve protection regime in national, regional and international level”. They have organized the press conference on the eve of inter state consultation on climate induced and disaster related displacement being happened in Khulna during the period of 3 to 5 April organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh with the support of Nansen Initiative. Nansen Initiative is co chaired by government of Norway and Switzerland. There will be more then hundred participants from fourteen countries of SAARC, Ocean region countries and also from different UN and international organizations.
Fourteen organizations are BAPA (Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan), BIPNetCCBD (Bangladesh Indigenous People Network for Climate Change and Biodiversity), BCJF (Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum) CCDF (Climate Change Development Forum), CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network), CDP (Coastal Development Partnership), CSRL (Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood), Counter Foto, EquityBD (Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh), FEJB (Forum for Environmental Journalist in Bangladesh), LEADERS, PRDI (Participatory Research and Development Initiative ), Rupanator and Uddayan Bangladesh.
The press conference was moderated by Masan Meshed of CLEAN, he also presented the key note paper. Welcome speech was given by Rafiqul Islam Khokan of RUPANTOR, other speakers are Sharmind Neelormi of CSRL and Dr Ahsan Uddin of CGC, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, and Tanveer Mahmud of Oxfam. The press conference was preceded by a photo exhibition of Din M Shibly and release of set of campaign post cards on climate forced migrants which was inaugurated by Shiekh Abdul Quayum, Chairperson, Khulna Citizen Forum.
Sharman Neelormi of CSRL mentioned growing climate displacement in Bangladesh as forcasted it will be around 30 millions by the year 2050, she also mentioned that civil society doing campaign on this issue since 2007. Dr Ahsan Uddin said that high level carbon emitter ie developed countries should consider to take responsibility of climate forced migrants as they are responsible for all climate catastrohopes, he urged that our government need to prepare internal displacement policy in this regard. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury mentioned that government has taken an appropriate decision to have this inter state conference in Khulna with a field visit, as climate forced displacement are vivid in the locality. He also mentioned that our Prime Minister has taken right policy to take this issue in international forums especially in UN, as Bangladesh alone hardly be able to manage this displacement issue, but our respective ministries yet to place formal proposal in UN. Tanveer Mahmud of Oxfam said that may be the Nansen Initiative is a means to take forward the issue in international level. In the key note presentation on behalf of the group Hasan Mehedi elaborated the detail demands from civil societies.
English and Bengali position or demand papers are available in www.equitybd.org
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