Dhaka, 7 June 2012. Today in a seminar, held at Bangabandu International Conference Centre on the title of “Re-directive development and Rio+20: Progress and Perspective Bangladesh”, where members of civil society opined that, Bangladesh needs technical and financial support from the developed and rich countries to go with the Green Economy initiatives. But all these support must be unconditional and free of cost, as they have done big damages on the sustainability of the mother earth through climate change and causing all the worse to country like Bangladesh. They expressed their concern that, the capitalist countries are trying to use the environmental issues as a source of profit gaining, which is not acceptable in any way. The discussants opined that, Bangladesh representatives to the RIO+20 summit should stand considering state sovereignty and the future security of the next generation. Speakers of that meeting observed that, Bangladesh has many nice laws and policy for the protection of the environment and to face the climate change impact, but the crying need is the effective implementation of those laws and policies.
The seminar was chaired by Professor Firoz Ahmad and moderated by Zakir Hossain, Joint Secretary, BAPA. Syed Aminul Hoque of EquityBD presented the key note paper. Other speakers of the seminar were, Rezwana Hasan BELA, Dr. Debpriya Battacharia CPD, Professor Mahbuba Nasreen Dhaka University, Dr. Atik Rahman BCAS, and as chief guest Junaid Ahmed Palak, MP, Vice Chair person, Bangladesh Parliament Caucus on Climate Change. The seminar was organized by BAPA, EquityBD, CSRL, BARCIK and BWN.
Syed Aminul in his key note presentation has said that, the Green Economy will adversely affect the agriculture of the LDC’s allowing bio-char, ethanol plantations and GMO mega-projects and ignoring the rights of local people who practice marginal farming. This allows land grabs and dispossession, which are already happening. He said, ‘The green economy is new prescription of the capitalist to grab the natural resources. After the failure of the capitalism in the west, they are now intending a new tool of exploitation. He placed some suggestion for the Bangladesh representative to the RIO+20 i.e. Oppose any sort of Conditionality, Ensure State sovereignty to determining the strategy for adopting so-called green economic initiation, No private sector finance in the natural resources. State has to be ensured as their obligatory measures to preserve and protect the natural resources and to establish people’s right, access and ownership.
Rezwana Hasan, Executive Director of BELA said, developed countries are trying to impose the idea of Green Economy on the developing and poor countries without necessary discussion. If the economy is green we have no objection, but there are any intention of commercialization of that green, we must have objection and concern.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow of CPD said, sustainable development would not be possible without the change of the consumption pattern of the rich countries. Green Economy can be used against our export and imposing intellectual property right (IPR) could be a hindering factor for our business. Rich countries can exploit it against us in the name of environmental safety. He also said that the prescription of Green Economy will present actually to save the rich countries from existing and future recession.
Professor Mahbuba Nasrin of Dhaka University said, pollution was created with the industrialization. So industrialist countries will be asked to produce green but instead, they are producing carbon and we will suffer for that, is not justice. She also said that the so called green economy is actually privilege the rich countries producing carbon instead reduce.
Dr. Atque Rahman, Executive Director of BCAS said, In Bangladesh we have many nice laws and policies for the protection of environment and to face the climate change impact, but the crying need is the effective implementation of those laws and policies.
Chief Guest of the program, Junaid Ahmed Poalk, Vice president of the Bangladesh Parliament Caucus on Climate change said, So far Bangladesh Government has not recognized the Green Economy. I think all development should include mass people. Our soil is the best soil of the world, so a scientific reform of for that soil or land is must for our sustainable development.
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