Bay of Bengal regional cooperation stressed to fight climate change

Strengthening Bay of Bengal regional cooperation is essential to tackle adverse impact of climate change, said speakers on Tuesday.
They made this comment at a seminar titled Climate Change: Bangladesh and Bay of Bengal Regional Cooperation organised by the Coastal Association for Social Transformation with assistance from the American Centre Dhaka at CIRDAP auditorium.
Civil society leaders, policymakers and experts urged all stakeholders to strengthen Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to tackle climate change problem and also to use natural resources for common public good.
The seminar was chaired by PKSF Chairman Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Chairman of All Party Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change Dr Hasan Mahmud MP attended the programme as the Chief Guest.
Sayed Aminul Haque of the COAST presented the keynote paper.
Dr Hasseb Irfanullah from IUCN said this is a knowledge-based monitoring and learning process and Bangladesh has to live with the spirit of adaptation.
Sanjay Vahsist of CANSA said cooperation in respect with agriculture technologies, water security and energy management should be priority agenda in the region for cooperation.
There should be long-term planning and cross boarder level coordinated action.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman, the Chair of the seminar, said SAARC had already had three important declarations in this regard especially the Dhaka-Thimpu-Bhutan declaration on climate change, but very little is done practically.
The countries involved in the process have to attach importance to all these issues, he noted.
Dr Hasan Mahmud said as the Bay of Bengal region intends to get rid of fossil fuel-based energy production it especially India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan have enormous opportunity to go for hydro-electricity production jointly.
This initiative is a necessity for economic growth and poverty alleviation in the region.
Besides Domang First Secretary Royal Bhutan Embassy Director of the Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) Sanjay Vahsist, Climate Change Adaptation Advisor of the US Embassy Dr Kevin Adkin, Cultural Affairs Officer of the American Centre Dhaka Kelly R Aryan, Sojib Ahmed from High Commission of India and AHM Bazlur Raham of the BNNRC (Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio and Communication) also spoke at the event.
The seminar was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of the COAST.