Dhaka, 10th May 2012. Today six civil society climate networks and eleven organizations has organized a press conference in national press club. They have demanded there should not be any more fiduciary management role of World Bank in Bangladesh climate resilience fund beyond 2013, they also demanded an independent institution with democratic ownership for all climate fund management. They have also express worries that there is a conspiracy going to extend present role of World Bank in resilience fund until 2018.
The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, position paper read out by Ahmed Swapan Mahmud of VOICE, introductory speech was given by Prodip Roy of OK Soceity, other spekers of the press conference were Progoti Chakma of BIPNetCCBD, Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD and Khokan Sikder of CDP. The group have given five specific demand in this regard which are; (i) by the year 2013 there should not be any role of World Bank in BCCRF, (ii) government should explain why the service charge rate to World Bank has been set from 1 to 4 or 9 %, which is still not clear; (iii) there must be full transparency of all the projects funded from BCCRF though websites; (iv) World Bank must explain what are the capacity building and other role they have performed in last three years, so that the government can take over the responsibility in future; and (v) finally government must show political will to get rid of conspiracy of donor darling consultants and bureaucrat’s nexus, who are trying to keep and extend World Bank role for longer.
The networks and organization who have organized the rally are, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Climate Finance Goverance Network (CFGN), Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL), Climate Change Development Forum (CCDF), Equity and Justice Working Group (Equity), Network for Climate Change in Bangladesh (NCCB), Arpon, Bangladesh Bhumihin Somity (BBS), Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF), Coastal Development Partnership (CDP), Centre for Global Change (CGC), Kishani Shoba, Manush Manusher Jonno, Media Foundation for Trade and Development (MFTD), OK Society, SDO, Sirajgong Flood Forum, Shurakka O Aggragoti Foundation (SAF) and Voice.
The group has cite examples of national institution like PKSF and IDCOL, they urged such an independent institution with democratic ownership is the best answer to manage climate fund. They define the democratic ownership means as with the participation of representatives from government and opposition party, climate victims, local government and media too.
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