Dhaka, 23rd May 2012. Today in a press conference seven civil society right groups’ climate networks and eight organizations urged government to integrate climate adaptation in national budget and they have also urged to give thrust on self finance or local resource mobilization. They said that it will be not be wise to expect or depend on foreign aid in this regard. The groups have declared a plan to hand over a memorandum to Finance Minister and all Member of Parliaments in this regard prior to the budget session. The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, welcome address has been given by Badrul Alam of Bangladesh Krishok Federation, memorandum has been read out by Mizanur Rahman Bijoy of Network on Climate Change in Bangladesh, different questions of the press have been responded by Jahangir Hossain Masum of Coastal Development Partnership, Prodip Kumar Roy of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood / On Line Knowledge Soceity and Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD.
The right groups consists of the networks ; BAPA, BIPNetCCBD, CCDF, CSRL, CFGN, EquityBD and NCCB and the organizations are BKF, OKS, CGC, CDP, BKS, Humanity Watch, PRAN and VOICE.
As they said the memorandum has been prepared after consultations have had held in seven divisions, ten districts, four national seminars and twenty five group discussion in country wide with climate victims and civil society members based on climate change strategic action plan prepared by the government during 2009. The group has proposed eleven priority wise action points, where construction of coastal embankment, long term steps to reduce river erosion, land zoning to preserve agricultural land, excavation of ponds and canals to increase reservation of surface water, inclusion of climate issue in all level of education, extension of BADC up to upazila level to promote local seeds, innovation of alternative water source in hilly areas, improving drinking water and sanitation in urban areas, construction of housing in urban areas for slum dwellers, extension and more allocation in health service and population control. They have also proposed reform in water development board, providing more authority to forest and environment in conducting trial of mangrove grabbers, integration of land and agriculture ministries for implementation of climate adaptive projects.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury the moderator the press conference and Chief Moderator of EquityBD have said that, climate impacts is already vivid and acute that there should be no question for waiting for foreign aid. While developed countries economic health was good they hardly provided GNP 0.7% as development assistance, now their economy in bad shape. He also said that it is very much possible to finance climate adaptation with local resource mobilization, if the country goes reform in tax system, reconsideration of black money, minimizing corruption, prioritizing development projects, minimizing revenue cost and in mobilizing local governments.
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