Dhaka, 19th February 2011. Today eleven civil society organizations and networks urged government to Reject World Bank (WB) PPCR (Pilot Project on Climate Resilience) loan in respect of climate adaptation. The organizations and networks are ARPON, Bangladesh Krishak Federation, DCI, CSRL, CDP, Lead Trust, EquityBD, IEE, On Line Knowledge Center, Ksihani Shova, Uddipan and Unnayan Anneshan. They have organized a human chain and rally in front of National Press Club, Dhaka. The rally was moderated by Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD; Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, Prodip Kumar Roy of CSRL, Abdul Kader Hazari of Aropn, Subal Sarkar of Bangladesh Bhumihin Somiti, was spoken on the occasion.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Chief Moderator of EquityBD in his speech mentioned that while key government polcy leaders several time in parliaments and in different events has reiterated the government position that they will not take any loan in climate adaptation as developed country who are the climate polluters and they have to pay compensation, then the loan taking process initiated by External Resource Division of government is self contradictory and, he also mentioned that such decision is also pre mature as while in UNFCCC the multilateral climate financing process will be taking shape by 2012. Prodip Kumar Roy of CSRL mentioned that in fact it is the conspiracy of Developed Countries to avoid the multilateral process of UNFCCC in respect of climate financing and also to continue the exploitation by debt and domination through World Bank and others International Financial Institutions.
According to the position paper prepared by EquityBD, it is mentioned that government is going to take total $ 50 millions grant, $ 60 millions loan from WB PPCR embodied with total loan package of $ 515 millions from Asian Development Bank and World Bank. In reality where it is only 9 % grant and rest 91 % as loan. The money will be utilized for coastal embankment, food security, water supply, and research on climate resilience housing. Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD has mentioned that loan in respect of water supply and climate resilience housing might not so necessary, these could easily be done through our own local resources. The loan process will be finalized in September 2011. Including rejecting the loan the civil society organizations place three other demands, which are (i) placing all loan proposal in parliament for open discussion, (ii) establishing democratic ownership, means participation of opposition, civil society, local governments, climate victims and beneficiaries in the donor project management and (iii) to prepare foreign loan taking policy and to asses loan repayment capacity assessment of the country.
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