RAJSHAHI, May 24, 2024 (BSS) - Formulating an effective climate-resilient
action plan consisting of natural resource conservation such as vegetation
cover, green open spaces and clean, fresh water bodies can be the crucial
means of ensuring sustainable development in the region.

Similarly, concerted efforts of all the government and non-government
organisations concerned have become an urgent need for mitigating the adverse
impact of climate change in the region, including its drought-prone Barind
area.
 
The adverse impact of climate change at alarming rates has severely affected
every sector, including agriculture and its diversity, creating a real threat
to food production and public health.

Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton came up with the observation while
addressing the inaugural ceremony of a two-day stakeholder workshop titled
"Innovation for Climate Smart Urban Development Project" here today (Friday)
as the chief guest.

Local Government Division (LGD), Local Government Engineering Department
(LGED) jointly organized the workshop at Grand Riverview Hotel supported by
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).

With LGED Additional Chief Engineer Gopal Krishna Devnath in the chair, the
opening ceremony was addressed, among others, by LGED Chief Engineer Ali
Akter Hossain, GIZ Bangladesh Cluster Coordinator Dr Dana Dela Fontain and
LGED Additional Chief Engineer Zulfiker Ali as special guests.

Director of GIZ Bangladesh Include Project Mahmudur Rahman welcomed the
participants.  
Main objective of the project is to promote climate-smart urban development.

More effective use of new information and communication technologies to
enable and spearhead innovation and productivity gains, optimization of the
resource use and reduction of physical mobility needs are the salient
features of it.

Besides, more attractive public and non-motorized transport, increased use of
renewable energy sources, climate smart waste management (improved recycling
schemes and waste to energy) and other measures contributing to climate
change mitigation are among the possible outcomes.

Mayor Liton said climate change has been acknowledged as the depletion of
natural resources and as a major threat to the humanity in the region and
urged the developed countries to take immediate effective measures to address
the adverse impacts.
 
Legitimate rights of the farmers and others concerned should be protected
rightly for the sake of encouraging them towards boosting agricultural
productions to meet up its gradually mounting demands.
 
Referring to the enormous contribution of farmers to the country's
agricultural development, he said the farmers deserve the rights of getting
all requisite privileges. There is no alternative to protect their interests
as a whole.
 
Mayor Liton, also presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League, said they have
formulated a project for conserving 22 water bodies in the city and many of
those, including Sonadighi, Sapura Mathpukur, Laxmipur TB pond and Sapura
graveyard pond, were already conserved and beautified through various
infrastructure developments.

In addition to the officials and others concerned, representatives of RCC,
Chapainawabganj, Chargaht, Gaibandha and Sirajganj pourashava joined the
workshop.