Members of the civil society here on Saturday urged the SAARC member states to frame a SAARC charter for giving free-movement rights to the refugees due to climate change within the South Asia.
They made the appeal at a press conference, organized by People's SAARC Bangladesh Process Group at the Jatiya Press Club ahead of the 18th SAARC Summit to be held in Kathmandu.
They also recommended formulation of an inclusive development plan and its implementation among the SAARC member states.
President of People's SAARC Bangladesh Process Group Dr Mahbub E Rasheed, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andalon Abdul Matin, Executive Director of Nagarik Udyog and Mostafa Kamal Akand of Equitybd spoke at the press conference while Manju Rani Pramanik of SUPRO presented a keynote paper.
In her paper, Manju Rani recommended building an integrated agriculture structure among the South Asian nations considering that livelihoods of most of the people of SAARC region depend on agriculture.
Dr Matin said the SAARC member states should take proper strategy for resolving the much needed water issues.
He also put emphasis on increasing the number of water transports in the SAARC countries including Bangladesh and India for development of transborder communications. He also urged the government to uphold the Bangladesh stand in the upcoming SAARC summit.
The People's SAARC Bangladesh Process Group is represented by Bangladesh Poribesh Andoloan (BAPA), BERDM , Bangladesh Nari Progoti Sangha (BNPS), Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD), Institute of Environment and Development (IED), Khani Bangldesh, Nagorik Uddoyg and Sushanoer Jonny Procharavizan (SUPRO). ?BSS