Budget neglects climate issues

Environment and climate issues have got little importance in the proposed national budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) said yesterday, cautioning that the government's negligence to the issues could lead to serious consequences.

The future existence of Bangladesh, one of the countries most at risk of the impacts of climate change, depends on the environment, said Bapa General Secretary Abdul Matin. He said that in terms of monetary allocation, the environment and forests ministry ranked 32th.

At a press conference on "How much environment friendly is the proposed national budget 2015-16" at Dhaka Reporters Unity, Bapa demanded a budget with a detailed plan of action focusing on protection and improvement of the environment alongside sufficient allocation.

In a statement, Matin said the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21, which will be held in Paris in December, would discuss how to protect the world from adverse impacts of climate change but the budget said nothing about how Bangladesh would raise its voice there.

In the budget speech, the finance minister spoke of the proposed coal-based power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat, near the Sundarbans. "We are repeatedly saying the Rampal power plant will severely damage the Sundarbans...We strongly demand cancellation of the decision," he said.

Besides, the government is not paying much attention to promote renewable power systems, he said.

The statement said the government had taken initiatives to implement six projects for cross-border communication, but the issue of removing Indian structures in 54 international rivers remained untouched.

In his speech, the finance minister said 58 projects had been taken for development of waterways and ports, Matin said, but most government projects got suicidal for rivers because of wrong planning. The minister also spoke of expanding eco-tourism when eco-tourism in many cases destroys forests, he added.

Criticising the incumbent environment and forests minister, the Bapa leader demanded his replacement with a new dynamic minister who has in-depth knowledge of the environment and has eagerness to develop forests and environment.

Columnist Syed Abul Maksud said, "We want green development, not grey development."