Delta Plan 2100 must involve public approval: Speakers

Humanity is facing a major threat and Bangladesh would be one of the most affected countries due to climate change, Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed said yesterday.

“Think what would happen if a huge part of the country goes under water,” Prof Sayeed wondered at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

Announcement about a special conference on “Delta Plan 2100 and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh” was made at the press conference. The special conference is scheduled to start from tomorrow at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh auditorium in Farmgate.

The two-day conference, jointly organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) and Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), will inform people about the long-term strategy and identify the strengths and weaknesses of Delta Plan 2100.

Experts from home and abroad, with representatives of areas covered under the plan, will take part in the event. At the press conference, speakers stressed the need for collective national discussion on the projects.

“The government undertook some major projects, including the ones on climate change,” Prof Sayeed, also president of BAPA, said. Some good work may have been done but most of the time they were not “fruitful” due to some individuals pursuing their self-interest, he added.

“It is a must for the government to share such development project planning with the public to maintain transparency,” he recommended.

The Bapa president said civil society should urge the government for dialogues over the issues, adding that the purpose of the special conference is to encourage similar constructive discussion among all stakeholders of Delta Plan 2100.

BEN Co-chairman and Bapa Vice-president Prof Dr Nazrul Islam lauded the government's seriousness about the plan and expressed concern about proper execution of the projects under the plan.

“The plan proposal is set to use 2.5 percent of country's GDP every year which will reach the $30 billion mark by 2030,” he said, adding that the plan must involve the citizens and decisions should be made with public approval.

Bapa General Secretary Dr Md Abdul Matin said the conference would include separate sessions for experts and non-experts. Eighty-nine papers will be presented and discussed in the experts' session.