Rehman Sobhan has called upon the interim government to form a special commission to protect environment.Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Jan 17, 2024 (BSS)- Noted economist Professor Rehman Sobhan has called upon the interim government to form a special commission to protect environment.

He made this call in the opening session of a conference jointly organized by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Poribesh Network (BEN) marking 25th anniversary of BAPA at the TSC auditorium of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University today.
 
Pointing out the scarcity of land properties Professor Sobhan said, lands became costlier because of market economy. As a result, people are encroaching agricultural, reserved lands and forest areas to expand their residential and business structures destroying environment abruptly.

Emphasizing on collective move and cooperation to protect environment, he said, “Our first job should be formation of a special commission to determine what we should do in this regard.”

“Many commissions have been formed by this government to resolve different issues but no such move has been taken with regards to protecting environment,” he noted.

Prof. Sobhan also urged the government to come out of the projects those cause harm to the environment.

In this regard, he mentioned about Kaptai Hydraulic Power Plant in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) saying “We were dreamed of wiping out fuel scarcity from that project. But that dream was not fulfilled, rather many locals were displaced and our environment was spoiled drastically.”

BAPA president Dr. Nur Mohammad presided over the opening session of the two day conference while Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, founder of BEN, presented the keynote paper.

While addressing as the chairperson of the programme, BAPA president Dr. Nur Mohammad Talukder lamented that over the last 25 years BAPA has achieved many successes, but failed to wage any fruitful movement for protecting environment.

Victims of environment degradation all over the country are protesting locally and we couldn’t reach many of them, he said adding that BAPA should work to find them out and work for them.

Vice Chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Dr. Mohammad Abdul Latif, Global Coordinator of BEN Professor Dr. Khalekuzzaman, BAPA vice president Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, general secretary of BAPA Alamgir Kabir, BAPA treasurer Zakir Hossen, and joint secretary Prof. Dr. Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder spoke among others on the occasion.

The two-day conference has been scheduled to be wrapped up on Saturday afternoon where Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan will join as the chief guest.