SARCC diplomacy roundtable stresses cross-border hydrological and environmental initiatives
Regional Climate Engineering Urgent for South Asia
- South Asian policymakers urge scientific regional collaboration to mitigate shared climate hazards.
- River pollution master plan and technology-driven emission controls implemented in Dhaka.
- Active mobilization of SAARC and BIMSTEC advocated for climate data sharing.
Strengthening scientific regional cooperation and technical synergy is imperative to tackle shared climate vulnerabilities across South Asia, said State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam. He made these remarks on Monday, 24 August, during a high-level policy roundtable organized by South Asia Regional Climate Cooperation (SARCC) at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka under the theme 'Co-Design the Future of South-Asian Climate Diplomacy'.
The State Minister stated, "Under the Prime Minister's directive, extensive programs are underway to counter climate vulnerability. Alongside planting 250 million trees, various engineering mechanisms are being deployed for pollution management. A technical master plan is in place to restore rivers surrounding the capital, with rigorous interventions targeting industrial runoff outfalls across the Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Turag, and Balu rivers."
Speaking as a special guest, Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, noted that regional frameworks like SAARC and BIMSTEC must be revitalized to confront transboundary ecological crises through mutual data sharing and political consensus.
Presenting the keynote paper, Prof. Dr. A. K. M. Saiful Islam from the Institute of Water and Flood Management at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) highlighted, "Climate change is an immediate developmental bottleneck rather than a distant threat. Extreme heatwaves, flash floods, cyclonic surges, droughts, altered monsoons, glacial depletion, and sea-level rise transcend national borders, demanding integrated engineering and climate modeling across South Asia."
The session was also addressed by Jamail Basheer JB, technical expert and member of the National Tree Plantation Cell at the Prime Minister's Office; Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of DHORA; Ziaul Haque, Coordinator of the LDC Negotiating Group; and climate negotiator M. Hafijul Islam Khan.
Senior journalist Habib Rahman delivered the opening remarks. Panel discussions included contributions from Advocate M A Mukit of Human Safety Foundation, Assistant Professor Mir Mohammad Ali of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Md. Ashrafuzzaman Khan of CCDB, Sarowar Alam Dipu of IUCN Bangladesh, Mahmudul Hasan Tareq of Helvetas Bangladesh, Sharmin Nahar Nipa of BRAC University, Prof. Dr. Kamruzzaman Majumder of CAPS, Mohammad Ali Shaheen of YPSA, environmental specialist Dr. Haseeb Md. Irfanullah, and S M Monjur Rashid of Unnayan Onneshan.
//DBTech/THEP/SME//
