Speakers at an award giving ceremony on Saturday said the challenge of Bangladesh as the most vulnerable country to climate change is to transform it into the most adaptive country in the world.

They said this at the award giving ceremony for participants of the first course on 'Climate Change and Adaptation' of ICCCAD (International Centre for Climate Change and Development) of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).

The programme was held at Radisson Water Garden Hotel in the city.

ICCCAD arranged its maiden course for 22 participants of NGO background from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Australia and Japan.

IUB Vice Chancellor Prof Bazlul Mobin Chowdhury distributed certificates among the total participants, including five from Nepal, two from India, one from Australia and Japan each.

In his keynote speech, Dr Saleemul Haq, director of ICCCAD, said the newly launched centre will teach the people from all vulnerable countries on how to adapt with the adverse impacts of climate change.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof M Omar Rahman and IUB Governing Council Chairman Tawhid Samad also spoke.

With the assistance of International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), ICCCAD has been carrying out its activities.

The centre will host postgraduate students from around the world who wish to carry out their researches in Bangladesh.