Eco-friendly development before Profit
CPB Round Table on Climate Change
Bangladesh is one of the major victims of the global climate change and environmental degradation. As a result Bangladesh, its people and all life forms are under grave threat. It is because of environment-destructive development pursued by the so called developed countries. The west must pay due compensation to Bangladesh for this crisis. Emission of green house gas should be drastically reduced. There should be a fundamental shift from capitalist development based solely on profit to environment friendly development. On the other hand Concrete Steps have to be taken to rehabilitate affected people of Bangladesh particularly those living in the coastal areas. These displaced people also have a aright to be rehabilitated in safe places of developed countries. Specific steps have to be taken to protect ecology, environment, nature, rivers lakes, marsh land water resources and the forests. Urgent and concrete steps have to be taken to produce more of alternative energy.
Speakers at the Round Table on “Climate Change- Peoples Perspective held in Progoti Milanaoton, Mukti Bhaban,Dhaka on 3 May raised the above points.
Presided over by CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan the meeting was also addressed by Prof. Muzaffar Ahmed Economist and President BAPA, Hyder Akbar Khan Rono, M. M Akash, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Mongol Kumar Chakma, Dr.Abu Sayeed, Mihir Biswas, Sharifuzzaman, Chandan Shaha Roy.and others.
The initial keynote paper was presented by Ecology and Biodiversity conservation Researcher Pavel Partha. In his comprehensive presentation he said that appropriate peoples and climate-friendly strategy should be adapted by Bangladesh to fight against the dictates, control and extravagance of so-called rich and developed countries. A “national climate change peoples mandate” has to be evolved taking the people into confidence and take into consideration, native wisdom, peoples' sovereignty, traditional culture and practices including those of Adibasis the national minorities.
Partha also stressed that Bangladesh should resist all corporate business, carbon projects and anti-ecological initiatives in the name of climate change by ‘corporate adaptation business’. which may adversely affect our ecology, ecosystem, diversity, health, environment, livelihood and peoples' economy. All steps taken to face climate change, loan and grants by WB, IMF, ADB and international donor organizations should for the same purpose should be thoroughly transparent, must be free prior informed consent and subject to strict scrutiny and democratic peoples control.. He said effective steps have to be taken to protect life and livelihood against the danger of extinction, protect biological diversity, bio-ecological habitat and agro-ecological zones, life tradition and occupation, economic life based on wealth available in the locality and mass history. Partha addressed `Khonar bachan', Khona the historical climate scientist of the continent and focused peoples knowledge and relation with climate ecology. Partha also said so-called mainstream knowledge power structure there is no relation with natural process, this system marked climate also a different-retouched thing, not part of daily life.
Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed thanked Communist Party for organizing the discussion on an important issue like climate change and called upon all forces fighting for the protection of environment to unite. He said urbanization is going on but we do not know how to leave. We are only constructing concrete building with glasses, which needs more electricity. We are blind regarding technology. We should adapt technologies appropriate to our climate and construct buildings which fit in with our weather conditions. Water -logging has become a day to day problem for the south-western region. We have forgotten our traditions,how we used to live with rivers and nature in our country. Once upon a time we had 1200 rivers, now its hardly 250. About 120 rivers keep flowing during dry seasons
Due to excessive greed we have engulfed most of the river side. He said we have bitter experience about Farakka Barrage. In our country we have submerged Rangamati under water by constructing Kaptai Dam for producing electricity. We can therefore easily imagine the severity of the damage which will be caused due to construction of 40 dams in Assam for producing 50,000 megawatt of electricity. Every day people are protesting against these plans in India itself but such news does not find space in newspapers. We want solution of these problems in accordance with UN conventions. He called upon all to speak out in favour of reducing use of chemicals in agriculture against digging of stones in Jaflong, cutting off trees in the tea gardens and destruction of environment in Lauchora. Prof. Mozaffar said that an environment friendly development policy has to be followed and government should take effective measures to realize compensation from developed countries responsible for negative effects on climate. He said we should find out ways and means to face corporate capital.
CPB President,Manzurul Ahsan Khan said, we speak of urbanization but if we look back,centuries of development and urbanisation has lead to destruction of environment.The so called development is already spreading to villages.This will ruin our nature.It is high time we take up the issue of ruralisation. All round development of villages should take place in harmony with nature with the use of appropriate technology. Enough fund and incentives should be allocated for rural Bangladesh so that people return to their village homes. We must breakaway from the development philosophy of the west and make a paradigm shift in this regard.There is no other alternative to make the earth worth living.
Manzur said we are demanding capital punishment for war criminals and Razakars who perpetrated genocide on the people of Bangladesh in 1971. But those who are destroying nature and environment they are pushing the earth and its bio-diversity towards extinction. Those who are responsible for pollution ad degradation of environment are not only killing human beings, but the earth and all its life forms. They are committing a crime which is no less than genocide. We should also build up a united struggle against Environment “Rajakars”.
He said soil, water and trees work as carbon sink but here in Bangladesh deforestation is going on. In 1971 we had 17% forest now it is about 7%. According to UN report worlds largest mangrove forest Sundarbans faces extinction within decades. Soil degradation is going on due to use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Every year 25,000 Hectors of cultivable land is being transferred for using otherwise. Rivers, lakes and swamp lands are being occupied or filled up. After independence in 1971 at least 25 rivers have died.. In the capital city Dhaka we had at least 43 canals and 21 big ‘jheels’ or marsh lands. Most of them do not exist now. Water is being polluted. 60% of the pollution is due to industrial waste. Farakka barrage and Tipaimukh dams pose a grave threat to our water resources.
Multinational corporations by their callousness have burnt and destroyed natural gas and natural wealth worth millions of dollars. He said developed countries must go for alternative eco-friendly renewable energy and drastically reduce emission of greenhouse gasses. In Bangladesh concrete large-scale measures to introduce solar, wind, bio-gas etc have to be taken. Quoting Fidel Castro, Manzur said that simple replacement of incandescent bulbs by fluorescent bulbs can save millions of dollars in electricity. He said we have to bring about fundamental change in our culture and life style. We have a lot to learn from indigenous people, adibasis or ethnic minorities who live in complete harmony with nature.
Manzur said if there is an increase of temperature by one degree Celsius 11% of Bangladesh will be submerged under water. Already 250 sq Kilometers in Kutubdia, 180 sq km.in Swandip and 40 sq. km of land areas.in Bhola have gone under sea water. BCAS calculates we deserve compensation to the tune of 50 billion dollars. The compensation money should be spent properly under people’s democratic control.
He said capitalist globalization, consumer culture, and greed for profit, corporate business, production of arms, nuclear weapons nuclear wastes and fallout, senseless extravagance; ‘waste civilization’ etc are responsible for climate change.
Manzur quoted Engels who said “Let us not however, flatter ourselves over much on account of victories over nature. For each such victory it takes revenge…….By no means rule over nature,…. But with flesh, blood and brain belong to nature, exist in its midst.”
He said communist all over the world should be at the fore front of a grand unity and struggle for the preservation of nature, earth and all life forms.
M.M Akash an eminent economist said we want to win over the nature by destroying it. That will be suicidal. If we can approach development dialectically then only we can save nature and humanity at the same time.
Environmentalist Khalid Hossain said the issue has to be taken up politically. Compensation funds should be controlled by people and not by World Bank. He said the 1st option should be mitigation not adaptation. Developed countries should take urgent measures to drastically reduce the causes of climate change.
CPB Round Table on Climate Change
Bangladesh is one of the major victims of the global climate change and environmental degradation. As a result Bangladesh, its people and all life forms are under grave threat. It is because of environment-destructive development pursued by the so called developed countries. The west must pay due compensation to Bangladesh for this crisis. Emission of green house gas should be drastically reduced. There should be a fundamental shift from capitalist development based solely on profit to environment friendly development. On the other hand Concrete Steps have to be taken to rehabilitate affected people of Bangladesh particularly those living in the coastal areas. These displaced people also have a aright to be rehabilitated in safe places of developed countries. Specific steps have to be taken to protect ecology, environment, nature, rivers lakes, marsh land water resources and the forests. Urgent and concrete steps have to be taken to produce more of alternative energy.
Speakers at the Round Table on “Climate Change- Peoples Perspective held in Progoti Milanaoton, Mukti Bhaban,Dhaka on 3 May raised the above points.
Presided over by CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan the meeting was also addressed by Prof. Muzaffar Ahmed Economist and President BAPA, Hyder Akbar Khan Rono, M. M Akash, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Mongol Kumar Chakma, Dr.Abu Sayeed, Mihir Biswas, Sharifuzzaman, Chandan Shaha Roy.and others.
The initial keynote paper was presented by Ecology and Biodiversity conservation Researcher Pavel Partha. In his comprehensive presentation he said that appropriate peoples and climate-friendly strategy should be adapted by Bangladesh to fight against the dictates, control and extravagance of so-called rich and developed countries. A “national climate change peoples mandate” has to be evolved taking the people into confidence and take into consideration, native wisdom, peoples' sovereignty, traditional culture and practices including those of Adibasis the national minorities.
Partha also stressed that Bangladesh should resist all corporate business, carbon projects and anti-ecological initiatives in the name of climate change by ‘corporate adaptation business’. which may adversely affect our ecology, ecosystem, diversity, health, environment, livelihood and peoples' economy. All steps taken to face climate change, loan and grants by WB, IMF, ADB and international donor organizations should for the same purpose should be thoroughly transparent, must be free prior informed consent and subject to strict scrutiny and democratic peoples control.. He said effective steps have to be taken to protect life and livelihood against the danger of extinction, protect biological diversity, bio-ecological habitat and agro-ecological zones, life tradition and occupation, economic life based on wealth available in the locality and mass history. Partha addressed `Khonar bachan', Khona the historical climate scientist of the continent and focused peoples knowledge and relation with climate ecology. Partha also said so-called mainstream knowledge power structure there is no relation with natural process, this system marked climate also a different-retouched thing, not part of daily life.
Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed thanked Communist Party for organizing the discussion on an important issue like climate change and called upon all forces fighting for the protection of environment to unite. He said urbanization is going on but we do not know how to leave. We are only constructing concrete building with glasses, which needs more electricity. We are blind regarding technology. We should adapt technologies appropriate to our climate and construct buildings which fit in with our weather conditions. Water -logging has become a day to day problem for the south-western region. We have forgotten our traditions,how we used to live with rivers and nature in our country. Once upon a time we had 1200 rivers, now its hardly 250. About 120 rivers keep flowing during dry seasons
Due to excessive greed we have engulfed most of the river side. He said we have bitter experience about Farakka Barrage. In our country we have submerged Rangamati under water by constructing Kaptai Dam for producing electricity. We can therefore easily imagine the severity of the damage which will be caused due to construction of 40 dams in Assam for producing 50,000 megawatt of electricity. Every day people are protesting against these plans in India itself but such news does not find space in newspapers. We want solution of these problems in accordance with UN conventions. He called upon all to speak out in favour of reducing use of chemicals in agriculture against digging of stones in Jaflong, cutting off trees in the tea gardens and destruction of environment in Lauchora. Prof. Mozaffar said that an environment friendly development policy has to be followed and government should take effective measures to realize compensation from developed countries responsible for negative effects on climate. He said we should find out ways and means to face corporate capital.
CPB President,Manzurul Ahsan Khan said, we speak of urbanization but if we look back,centuries of development and urbanisation has lead to destruction of environment.The so called development is already spreading to villages.This will ruin our nature.It is high time we take up the issue of ruralisation. All round development of villages should take place in harmony with nature with the use of appropriate technology. Enough fund and incentives should be allocated for rural Bangladesh so that people return to their village homes. We must breakaway from the development philosophy of the west and make a paradigm shift in this regard.There is no other alternative to make the earth worth living.
Manzur said we are demanding capital punishment for war criminals and Razakars who perpetrated genocide on the people of Bangladesh in 1971. But those who are destroying nature and environment they are pushing the earth and its bio-diversity towards extinction. Those who are responsible for pollution ad degradation of environment are not only killing human beings, but the earth and all its life forms. They are committing a crime which is no less than genocide. We should also build up a united struggle against Environment “Rajakars”.
He said soil, water and trees work as carbon sink but here in Bangladesh deforestation is going on. In 1971 we had 17% forest now it is about 7%. According to UN report worlds largest mangrove forest Sundarbans faces extinction within decades. Soil degradation is going on due to use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Every year 25,000 Hectors of cultivable land is being transferred for using otherwise. Rivers, lakes and swamp lands are being occupied or filled up. After independence in 1971 at least 25 rivers have died.. In the capital city Dhaka we had at least 43 canals and 21 big ‘jheels’ or marsh lands. Most of them do not exist now. Water is being polluted. 60% of the pollution is due to industrial waste. Farakka barrage and Tipaimukh dams pose a grave threat to our water resources.
Multinational corporations by their callousness have burnt and destroyed natural gas and natural wealth worth millions of dollars. He said developed countries must go for alternative eco-friendly renewable energy and drastically reduce emission of greenhouse gasses. In Bangladesh concrete large-scale measures to introduce solar, wind, bio-gas etc have to be taken. Quoting Fidel Castro, Manzur said that simple replacement of incandescent bulbs by fluorescent bulbs can save millions of dollars in electricity. He said we have to bring about fundamental change in our culture and life style. We have a lot to learn from indigenous people, adibasis or ethnic minorities who live in complete harmony with nature.
Manzur said if there is an increase of temperature by one degree Celsius 11% of Bangladesh will be submerged under water. Already 250 sq Kilometers in Kutubdia, 180 sq km.in Swandip and 40 sq. km of land areas.in Bhola have gone under sea water. BCAS calculates we deserve compensation to the tune of 50 billion dollars. The compensation money should be spent properly under people’s democratic control.
He said capitalist globalization, consumer culture, and greed for profit, corporate business, production of arms, nuclear weapons nuclear wastes and fallout, senseless extravagance; ‘waste civilization’ etc are responsible for climate change.
Manzur quoted Engels who said “Let us not however, flatter ourselves over much on account of victories over nature. For each such victory it takes revenge…….By no means rule over nature,…. But with flesh, blood and brain belong to nature, exist in its midst.”
He said communist all over the world should be at the fore front of a grand unity and struggle for the preservation of nature, earth and all life forms.
M.M Akash an eminent economist said we want to win over the nature by destroying it. That will be suicidal. If we can approach development dialectically then only we can save nature and humanity at the same time.
Environmentalist Khalid Hossain said the issue has to be taken up politically. Compensation funds should be controlled by people and not by World Bank. He said the 1st option should be mitigation not adaptation. Developed countries should take urgent measures to drastically reduce the causes of climate change.
CPB leader Ruhin Hossain Prince who just returned from cyclone ‘Aila’ affected areas of Khulna, Dakope and Mongla described his experience during relief work. He said cyclone ‘ Cidr’ in 2007caused huge damage in the southern part of Bangladesh. After frequent disasters and recent cyclone ‘ Aila’ people in these areas are loosing hope and think that the danger of areas being submerged under water is very real and imminent. The ensuing budget should provide for short term and long term plans to mitigate the miseries of people living in south-western coastal zone. Relating his experience during relief activity Prince said in the beginning the government relief was not available in many remote areas. People need immediate supply of drinking and fresh water, food and medicines for survival. Most of the Barrages have been damaged. All barrages should come under a coordinated plan and urgent repairs must be undertaken.
President of the round table Manzurul Ahsan Khan closed the discussion by calling upon all, fighting for the protection of nature, to unite and evolve a National Charter addressing climate change and degradation of environment.End
President of the round table Manzurul Ahsan Khan closed the discussion by calling upon all, fighting for the protection of nature, to unite and evolve a National Charter addressing climate change and degradation of environment.End
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