DHAKA, Oct 29. 2023 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the leaders of the Conference of Parties (COP) on climate change to make the loss and damage fund under its framework fully operational.

"The loss and damage fund should be operational completely," she said while UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) Under Secretary General and Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva paid a courtesy call on her at Ganabhaban here.

Briefing reporters after the meeting PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the Prime Minister expressed frustration as rich countries are not complying with their promises in combating climate change.

The aim of the loss and damage fund is to provide financial assistance to poor nations as they deal with the negative impacts arise from the unavoidable risks of climate change - for example: rising sea levels, extreme heat waves, desertification, forest fires, crop failures etc.

"Response for the loss and damage fund from the rich countries is yet to be adequate" the premier said while UNOP Under Secretary General has brought the issue of COP28 for discussion.

The Prime Minister said her government has taken various measures to make Bangladesh as a climate resilience country that include raising a climate change trust fund with its own resources.

With this fund, she said, the government has given houses to the climate refugees at Khuruskul in country's southern district Cox's Bazar.

The premier said her government has built green belt, artificial mangrove forest and went for massive plantation programme alongside giving climate resilience houses to the people in the costal belts.

The UNOPS Under Secretary General highly praised the development of Bangladesh particularly in the areas of social safety net programmes and micro savings under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina.

He apprised the premier that the UNOPS in collaboration with the department of health services is constructing medical grade oxygen generating plants for 29 hospitals in Bangladesh.

In response, the prime minister thanked the UNOPS official for the joint venture, suggesting its expansion in all 64 districts of Bangladesh.

The premier believed that UNOPS proven expertise in project management can help improve the project implementation culture in Bangladesh.

The premier also greeted the UNOPS for responding to the humanitarian need during the Rohingya influx in Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017 and also during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin and PM's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present at the meeting.