Govt progressed much

The Awami League-led grand alliance government has made much progress in tackling the environmental degradation on the whole but is to go a long way to make the country liveable for the future generations, AL leaders and environmentalists said at a seminar yesterday.
They identified river management, sound and air pollution, and solid waste management as the major challenges ahead.
“The government has amended the constitution incorporating a provision for protection and improvement of the environment and bio-diversity, which is one of the most important steps of the government towards tackling environmental degradation”, AL lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury told the seminar at the capital's Institution of Engineer, Bangladesh.
The AL organised the programme titled "Grand alliance government's three years in tackling environment degradation, successes and future challenges". The ruling party has been holding sector-wise seminars for the last couple of months.
Placing the keynote paper, Saber Hossain, also chairman of all-party parliamentary groups on climate change, said parliament itself had been serving a prominent role in protecting the environment, and the government had taken a number of steps to this end.
In addition to formulating laws for the protection of the environment, the government has also increased the number of environment offices across the country and staff them with an aim to tackle environmental challenges, he added.
“We are also playing a leading role in the international arena over environmental protection and having positive results in the country”. He stressed the need for capacity building so that the country can bargain in the global arena to protect its environment.
The lawmaker said the country's agricultural land was dwindling, which might plunge the whole agricultural system into a serious catastrophe. The issue and its environment consequences should be deeply thought, given the growing population of the country, he added.
Environment and Forest Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said they had modernised all the existing laws of the country to protect the environment. Moreover, the government has taken a massive initiative since its beginning to plant around 10 crore saplings every year to fill the gap of tree felling in the past, he added.
He however said, “When around 1,000 people live per square kilometre of the country, it is very tough to protect the forests if people are not aware of protecting the environment”.
The present government has made it mandatory to have permission for even any government agency or institution to cut trees and stepped into urban forestation, he said.
The minister observed that alongside the government, people must be aware of the environment and related laws.
This government has realised Tk 72 crore on charge harming or polluting the environment, while the previous governments from 2001 did not even realise Tk 72,000 to this end, he added.
Dr Hasan claimed that now around 60 percent of the industries had their effluent treatment plant (ETP), and within six months it would be increased to 75 percent, ultimately helping tackle the industrial pollution.
The government is also working to introduce modern waste management system in Dhaka and Chittagong, he added.
Noted economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad put emphasis on improving relationship with the civil society members and increasing the financial capability of people to face the environmental challenges in the coming days.
He also emphasised proper implementation of the environmental laws.
AL Presidium Member Yusuf Hossain Humayun, ruling party Whip Shagufta Yasmin Emily, party leader Afzal Hossain, and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Buet Prof Habibur Rahman, among others, spoke at the seminar chaired by AL advisory council member Prof Durga Das Bhattacharya.