UNB, Dhaka :
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has repeatedly called upon the government not to take any loan, but realise compensation from international agencies to cope with climate change impacts.
“Some international lenders, including the Would Bank and ADB (Asian Development Bank), are trying to use climate fund for profitable business. So, they’re interested to provide credit, not grants,” TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman told a press conference here on Wednesday.
But, he said, it is a matter of regret that the government is responding positively
to their ill-motivated proposals. The anti-graft body arranged the post-COP (Conference of Parties) 22 press conference at its office.
In October last, the World Bank announced that it will provide a loan of US$ 2 billion to Bangladesh as climate finance over the next three years.
The TIB chief said although soft loans will be given to the climate-vulnerable countries, they will not be able to bear the additional burden of credit and this is not expected at all.
As one of the countries worst affected by global climate change, Iftekharuzzaman observed Bangladesh is already highly vulnerable. The climate-affected people of this country cannot afford to further accentuate their vulnerability in the form of interest payable to the mega lending group even if such loans are offered at the best possible concessional terms, he added.
Instead, he said, the global lenders should help climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh get grants from the Green Climate Fund.
The TIB chief stressed the need for ensuring the participation of marginal and affected people in implementing all the projects and programmes taken to cope with climate change impacts.
All documents of fund transfer from the country’s climate funds should be made public aiming to ensure transparency and accountability in climate financing, he said, adding that the government should make an example that it is quite possible to ensure governance and integrity in its climate financing.
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has repeatedly called upon the government not to take any loan, but realise compensation from international agencies to cope with climate change impacts.
“Some international lenders, including the Would Bank and ADB (Asian Development Bank), are trying to use climate fund for profitable business. So, they’re interested to provide credit, not grants,” TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman told a press conference here on Wednesday.
But, he said, it is a matter of regret that the government is responding positively
to their ill-motivated proposals. The anti-graft body arranged the post-COP (Conference of Parties) 22 press conference at its office.
In October last, the World Bank announced that it will provide a loan of US$ 2 billion to Bangladesh as climate finance over the next three years.
The TIB chief said although soft loans will be given to the climate-vulnerable countries, they will not be able to bear the additional burden of credit and this is not expected at all.
As one of the countries worst affected by global climate change, Iftekharuzzaman observed Bangladesh is already highly vulnerable. The climate-affected people of this country cannot afford to further accentuate their vulnerability in the form of interest payable to the mega lending group even if such loans are offered at the best possible concessional terms, he added.
Instead, he said, the global lenders should help climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh get grants from the Green Climate Fund.
The TIB chief stressed the need for ensuring the participation of marginal and affected people in implementing all the projects and programmes taken to cope with climate change impacts.
All documents of fund transfer from the country’s climate funds should be made public aiming to ensure transparency and accountability in climate financing, he said, adding that the government should make an example that it is quite possible to ensure governance and integrity in its climate financing.
