Put pressure on developed states to pay compensation
Speakers at the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap yesterday demanded compensation from the developed states responsible for the global climate change badly affecting the developing countries, including Bangladesh.
In the UN conference on climate change to be held in Bali in December, the developing countries together must put pressure on the developed states to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and pay compensation, said Dr Saleemul Huq of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).
The other panellists were Executive Director of Coast Trust Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, chairman of Bhola municipality and convenor of Bhola River-erosion Protection Committee Golam Nabi Alamgir, who is also a BNP leader, and President of Bhola district Awami League Fazlul Kader Manju.
Replying to a query, all the panellists demanded that the caretaker government take necessary measures to try the war criminals and anti-liberation elements.
Both the BNP and AL leaders said their respective parties would remain united under the leadership of their party chiefs -- Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.
Any move to remove them from the parties would be illegal, the local leaders observed.
The BBC Bengali Service in conjunction with the BBC World Service Trust organised the programme at an open space on the bank of river Meghna at Ilisha Ghat in Bhola.
Several thousand people thronged the venue to take part in the programme, which focused on the climate change and its impacts on the livelihoods of the people of Bhola. Masud Hasan Khan of BBC moderated the event.
Rezaul Karim said at least 10 cyclones and seven tornadoes took place in Bhola in the last five months because of the climate change.
Golam Nabi said public opinion must be mobilised to realise compensation from the developed countries.
Fazlul Kader said the government should form expert committees and take necessary steps immediately to offset the impacts of climate change.
He also stressed the need to take up a long-term plan to check river erosion in different parts of the country.
Comments