DHAKA, Apr 30, 2024 (BSS)-Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), an environmental organisation, today raised eight-point demand to check blistering heatwave persisting across the country.

The environmental campaigner came up with the demands at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in city’s Segunbagicha area.

Prof Dr Shahidul Islam, Chairmen of the Geography and Environment Department of Dhaka University (DU), Prof Mihir Lal Shaha, Chairman of Botany Department of the DU, Dr Abdus Salam, a Professor the Chemistry department of the same university, BAPA President Prof Dr Nur Mohammad Talukder and its General Secretary Alamgir Kabir, among others, spoke at the press conference.
BAPA Vice President Iqbal Habib read out a keynote paper on heatwave.

The eight-point demand of BAPA placed at the press conference included ensuring proper punishment for law violators and making ministries and departments concerned accountable, taking steps to create unban forests, restoring water bodies and canals in the city, launching of awareness campaign at educational institutions and tree plantation programmes to mitigate heatwave and updating Bangladesh National Building Code.

Prof Dr Shahidul Islam said the country’s nature and biodiversity are at stake now due to unplanned urbanisation.

The government is talking about green coverage but at the same time it is eliminating trees in the name of development, he said, suggesting the government to take proper steps to deal with the scorching heatwave.

Prof Mihir Lal Shaha urged the government to take initiatives to increase the forest coverage in the country through a five-year plan aiming to address the heatwave.