Staff Reporter :
Transparency International Bangladesh [TIB] has cautioned Bangladesh government not to take $2 billion from the World Bank to raise climate change fund, even if it is given in low interest.
Instead, the TIB urged the government to demand compensation from the WB to tackle adverse impact of climate change in this part of the globe.
‘The WB has taken the policy to run ‘interest business’ through issuing loans to Bangladesh, instead of paying compensation for climate change. The WB President in his recent visit had committed to give Bangladesh $2 billion fund. But the WB fund won’t come without interest. It will increase the amount of debt, even if it is given in low interest,” Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman, said on Friday.
He was speaking at a press conference, titled: ‘climate equity week 2016′ — jointly organized by TIB, Committee of Concerned Citizens [CCC] and Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network [CLEAN] at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity [DRU] in the city.
Detailing the negative side of WB policy, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said. “The government should not receive loan from WB in the climate change fund. The WB must pay the compensation. The country [Bangladesh] has incurred a loss of Tk18000 crore in last four years due to climate change impact. To fight the challenge, Bangladesh also gave $400 million from its own sources. But the countries who were mainly responsible for the devastation gave Bangladesh only $130 million.”
He said: “We, the affected people, have already faced huge losses and still at risk due to climate change. The affected people will have to bear the brunt of debt, if WB fund is received. We can’t accept that WB to run interest business. We urge all concerned to stay away from such conspiracy of WB.”
“So far as we know, Bangladesh will get compensation, not loan, for facing the negative and risky situation. The government must try to get the compensation. If the WB is interested to help us to tackle climate change impact, it must give compensation. They shouldn’t run the interest business,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman noted.
Referring some obstacles to reach green climate fund, he said: “The WB can give us technical support to ensure our entry to other funds those created for climate change….We will welcome it. But we will not allow any interest business here.”
“We’ve two major obstacles to get entrance in green climate fund. It has become very tough for Bangladesh to meet the tough standards that fixed for the green climate fund. It is also taking long time…..We demand to make the entry process easy.”
Praising Bangladesh government for its courageous role in fighting climate change impact, Dr Iftekharuzzaman further said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also been rewarded for her role in fighting climate change. We’ve [Bangladesh] made remarkable progress in this sector in the last five years. But the fund, which is raised here, is very small.”
According to National Geographic, Bangladesh ranks first as the nation most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in the coming decades.
Not only that, the German Watch’s Global Climate Risk Index [CRI] of 2011 said Bangladesh is the nation most vulnerable to global climate change in the world while the reasons are complex and extremely intertwined.
Bangladesh is watered by a total of 57 trans-boundary rivers coming down to it: 54 from neighbouring India and 3 from Myanmar. The country, which has no control of the water flow and volume, drains to the Bay of Bengal over 90% of the total run-off generated annually, experts said.
Transparency International Bangladesh [TIB] has cautioned Bangladesh government not to take $2 billion from the World Bank to raise climate change fund, even if it is given in low interest.
Instead, the TIB urged the government to demand compensation from the WB to tackle adverse impact of climate change in this part of the globe.
‘The WB has taken the policy to run ‘interest business’ through issuing loans to Bangladesh, instead of paying compensation for climate change. The WB President in his recent visit had committed to give Bangladesh $2 billion fund. But the WB fund won’t come without interest. It will increase the amount of debt, even if it is given in low interest,” Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman, said on Friday.
He was speaking at a press conference, titled: ‘climate equity week 2016′ — jointly organized by TIB, Committee of Concerned Citizens [CCC] and Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network [CLEAN] at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity [DRU] in the city.
Detailing the negative side of WB policy, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said. “The government should not receive loan from WB in the climate change fund. The WB must pay the compensation. The country [Bangladesh] has incurred a loss of Tk18000 crore in last four years due to climate change impact. To fight the challenge, Bangladesh also gave $400 million from its own sources. But the countries who were mainly responsible for the devastation gave Bangladesh only $130 million.”
He said: “We, the affected people, have already faced huge losses and still at risk due to climate change. The affected people will have to bear the brunt of debt, if WB fund is received. We can’t accept that WB to run interest business. We urge all concerned to stay away from such conspiracy of WB.”
“So far as we know, Bangladesh will get compensation, not loan, for facing the negative and risky situation. The government must try to get the compensation. If the WB is interested to help us to tackle climate change impact, it must give compensation. They shouldn’t run the interest business,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman noted.
Referring some obstacles to reach green climate fund, he said: “The WB can give us technical support to ensure our entry to other funds those created for climate change….We will welcome it. But we will not allow any interest business here.”
“We’ve two major obstacles to get entrance in green climate fund. It has become very tough for Bangladesh to meet the tough standards that fixed for the green climate fund. It is also taking long time…..We demand to make the entry process easy.”
Praising Bangladesh government for its courageous role in fighting climate change impact, Dr Iftekharuzzaman further said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also been rewarded for her role in fighting climate change. We’ve [Bangladesh] made remarkable progress in this sector in the last five years. But the fund, which is raised here, is very small.”
According to National Geographic, Bangladesh ranks first as the nation most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in the coming decades.
Not only that, the German Watch’s Global Climate Risk Index [CRI] of 2011 said Bangladesh is the nation most vulnerable to global climate change in the world while the reasons are complex and extremely intertwined.
Bangladesh is watered by a total of 57 trans-boundary rivers coming down to it: 54 from neighbouring India and 3 from Myanmar. The country, which has no control of the water flow and volume, drains to the Bay of Bengal over 90% of the total run-off generated annually, experts said.
