Asit Kumar Mukutmoni :
Climate change creates uncountable adverse effects, the climate change agenda is a very important and burning phenomenon of the time for Bangladesh, the most vulnerable country of the world, try to overcome facing the various challenges. Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are interrelated, nationally important for having a balanced sustainable development to protect the evil aggression of the complex physical situation coupling with the environmental, social, economic and human consequences. To trounce this natural impediment and to continue the progress counting the changed demand and increasing population figure, we have to fix priorities and capacity buildings at all related levels. Bangladesh government prepared Climate Change strategy and Action Plan 2009 which is guiding us to combat the ‘Terror of Climate’ for attaining the MDG goals developing the standard of living by reducing poverty and vulnerability of woman and child for a prosperous Bangladesh.
The climate change related threats are tropical cyclone, tornado, storm surge, flood, drought, hot and cold wave, fog, mist, heavy precipitation, increasing sea level, salinity intrusion and the related stagnation, loss of lives and damages of wealth.
The natural calamities are increasing for climate change by around 10% as the researchers say. Bangladesh government through ministries climate change trust fund with NGO & INGOs took up the priority steps of food security to raise agricultural product variety and productivity, safe housing, flood protection, drainage system, coastal embankments, cyclone and flood shelters, comprehensive disaster management program, cyclone alert system, community involvement, irrigation system, earthquake preparation, fire fighting, self-employment, land recovery, decrease of carbon emission, forestation and many others.
Territory of Bangladesh is about 143570 sq km, population 160 million, and population density of about 1100, the highest in the world. The Bay of Bengal is the source of our livelihood and wealth. On the other hand it is the source of heavy rain water, flood, cyclone, tidal surge and salinity catastrophe often. We have our territory of about 118000 sq km in the Bay of Bengal. Population of Barisal Division decreased in the last census of 2011 than to 2001 and the population of greater Khulna district is decreasing too by ratio. Every year our rivers are carrying million tons of silt to the Bay of Bengal and its management will open the horizon of land reclamation, future land management, land height development and habitation for creating more land for the growing population and to protect the mainland by developing trees like Sundarbans. In our SIDR, the Sundarban protected our people and wealth to a large extent. Forest always plays an important role in mitigation and adaptation of the climate threat. During SIDR the saline water intrusion made the ponds, low lying areas unusable with saline water in many sea side corners. Singapore has developed a plan to increase the land area in the sea and in the meantime increased nearly one fifth of their mainland to adjust population pressure and many other purposes.
About one fifth of our country is covered with hills, rivers, water land. Moreover, every year different physical development programs like road, offices, education-health institutions, factories are claiming a significant area of land. Although agriculture now accounts only 20% of the GDP but the fact is that over 60% people depend on agriculture directly or indirectly or they are employed there to earn their livelihood. “IPCC estimates that by 2050, rice production in Bangladesh could decline 8% and wheat by 32%(against a base year of 1990)”-Bangladesh Climate Change Action Plan 2009.UNFPA focuses that the population of Bangladesh may rise to 220 million or more in 2050 but in our said Action Plan we see that it may rise to200 million from 150 million in 2008. “The direct annual cost to the national economy of natural disaster over the last 10 years (damage and lost production) is estimated to be between 0.5% and 1% of GDP”. At present, self-sufficient agricultural production is a tremendous support for the country and the total population. At least 50 million more population management and continuation of progress in GDP and per capita income including many other hindrances we are going to face for climate change.
If these food production quantity decreases taking 1990 as base line, the employment in agriculture will be decreased. In that case we have to think how the challenge will be met by taking appropriate program and policies. It is very difficult to import food from abroad. 50% of our people are women and nearing 20% children. It is heard and seen in newspapers that many of our farmers are losing interest to produce food grains for avoiding the time to time loss and for many other causes. Moreover they are selling their lands to those who are moneyed man, factory holders or non farmers inviting future complications to the way of demanded food production by 2050.
2050 is knocking at the door in context of economy and preparation. Moreover “Dhaka will have become a mega city with a population of over 40 million” (BCCSAP-2009). Mega city demands well ahead, analyzed coordinated mega plan-program and implementation. Government decision is to build the new urban areas climate resilient through better planning. More mills, factories, big store room of chemical and color will go for increasing the threat. Dhaka lies in the threat zone of earthquake. The space of the road and street are rather narrow towards the central and southern Dhaka where there are minimum scope to expand and the situation of traffic jam is severe. So the erection of more high rising building in those areas will be beneficial or detrimental to have an excellent Dhaka city, need to be analyzed. Planting heavily, managing debris into green fertilizer, fish food for developing a habitable environment, with own resources or by taking the support of the international organization where sufficient employment can also be made. Future plan of Dhaka city can be outlined now and the establishment of needed 25% road, planned drainage, preserving the scope of future expansion, can be set and fixed first in the approximately outer areas. But all these need money, a capable and efficient management.
We need a demand oriented reality based compact, coordinated, continuous planning, program, management with a fruitful execution of our design for keeping our way safe to achieve the MDG targets by meeting all unseen depression to keep up of our nations way unhindered against climate change. Government can never do all these alone if not the private organizations, people & families are aware, motivated and committed to keep up the process upheld. By the good grace of the Almighty we are advancing. We shall overcome.
(The writer is a retired senior Civil Servant)
Climate change creates uncountable adverse effects, the climate change agenda is a very important and burning phenomenon of the time for Bangladesh, the most vulnerable country of the world, try to overcome facing the various challenges. Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are interrelated, nationally important for having a balanced sustainable development to protect the evil aggression of the complex physical situation coupling with the environmental, social, economic and human consequences. To trounce this natural impediment and to continue the progress counting the changed demand and increasing population figure, we have to fix priorities and capacity buildings at all related levels. Bangladesh government prepared Climate Change strategy and Action Plan 2009 which is guiding us to combat the ‘Terror of Climate’ for attaining the MDG goals developing the standard of living by reducing poverty and vulnerability of woman and child for a prosperous Bangladesh.
The climate change related threats are tropical cyclone, tornado, storm surge, flood, drought, hot and cold wave, fog, mist, heavy precipitation, increasing sea level, salinity intrusion and the related stagnation, loss of lives and damages of wealth.
The natural calamities are increasing for climate change by around 10% as the researchers say. Bangladesh government through ministries climate change trust fund with NGO & INGOs took up the priority steps of food security to raise agricultural product variety and productivity, safe housing, flood protection, drainage system, coastal embankments, cyclone and flood shelters, comprehensive disaster management program, cyclone alert system, community involvement, irrigation system, earthquake preparation, fire fighting, self-employment, land recovery, decrease of carbon emission, forestation and many others.
Territory of Bangladesh is about 143570 sq km, population 160 million, and population density of about 1100, the highest in the world. The Bay of Bengal is the source of our livelihood and wealth. On the other hand it is the source of heavy rain water, flood, cyclone, tidal surge and salinity catastrophe often. We have our territory of about 118000 sq km in the Bay of Bengal. Population of Barisal Division decreased in the last census of 2011 than to 2001 and the population of greater Khulna district is decreasing too by ratio. Every year our rivers are carrying million tons of silt to the Bay of Bengal and its management will open the horizon of land reclamation, future land management, land height development and habitation for creating more land for the growing population and to protect the mainland by developing trees like Sundarbans. In our SIDR, the Sundarban protected our people and wealth to a large extent. Forest always plays an important role in mitigation and adaptation of the climate threat. During SIDR the saline water intrusion made the ponds, low lying areas unusable with saline water in many sea side corners. Singapore has developed a plan to increase the land area in the sea and in the meantime increased nearly one fifth of their mainland to adjust population pressure and many other purposes.
About one fifth of our country is covered with hills, rivers, water land. Moreover, every year different physical development programs like road, offices, education-health institutions, factories are claiming a significant area of land. Although agriculture now accounts only 20% of the GDP but the fact is that over 60% people depend on agriculture directly or indirectly or they are employed there to earn their livelihood. “IPCC estimates that by 2050, rice production in Bangladesh could decline 8% and wheat by 32%(against a base year of 1990)”-Bangladesh Climate Change Action Plan 2009.UNFPA focuses that the population of Bangladesh may rise to 220 million or more in 2050 but in our said Action Plan we see that it may rise to200 million from 150 million in 2008. “The direct annual cost to the national economy of natural disaster over the last 10 years (damage and lost production) is estimated to be between 0.5% and 1% of GDP”. At present, self-sufficient agricultural production is a tremendous support for the country and the total population. At least 50 million more population management and continuation of progress in GDP and per capita income including many other hindrances we are going to face for climate change.
If these food production quantity decreases taking 1990 as base line, the employment in agriculture will be decreased. In that case we have to think how the challenge will be met by taking appropriate program and policies. It is very difficult to import food from abroad. 50% of our people are women and nearing 20% children. It is heard and seen in newspapers that many of our farmers are losing interest to produce food grains for avoiding the time to time loss and for many other causes. Moreover they are selling their lands to those who are moneyed man, factory holders or non farmers inviting future complications to the way of demanded food production by 2050.
2050 is knocking at the door in context of economy and preparation. Moreover “Dhaka will have become a mega city with a population of over 40 million” (BCCSAP-2009). Mega city demands well ahead, analyzed coordinated mega plan-program and implementation. Government decision is to build the new urban areas climate resilient through better planning. More mills, factories, big store room of chemical and color will go for increasing the threat. Dhaka lies in the threat zone of earthquake. The space of the road and street are rather narrow towards the central and southern Dhaka where there are minimum scope to expand and the situation of traffic jam is severe. So the erection of more high rising building in those areas will be beneficial or detrimental to have an excellent Dhaka city, need to be analyzed. Planting heavily, managing debris into green fertilizer, fish food for developing a habitable environment, with own resources or by taking the support of the international organization where sufficient employment can also be made. Future plan of Dhaka city can be outlined now and the establishment of needed 25% road, planned drainage, preserving the scope of future expansion, can be set and fixed first in the approximately outer areas. But all these need money, a capable and efficient management.
We need a demand oriented reality based compact, coordinated, continuous planning, program, management with a fruitful execution of our design for keeping our way safe to achieve the MDG targets by meeting all unseen depression to keep up of our nations way unhindered against climate change. Government can never do all these alone if not the private organizations, people & families are aware, motivated and committed to keep up the process upheld. By the good grace of the Almighty we are advancing. We shall overcome.
(The writer is a retired senior Civil Servant)
