People are not well, disasters will increase, preparations should be increased: Dr. Ainun Nishat

People are not well, disasters will increase, preparations should be increased: Dr. Ainun Nishat

MD Babul Bangladesh Representative

A National Dialogue on “Coastal Livelihood: Crisis and Actions” was organized by environmental organization Dharitri Rakshaya Amra (Dhara).
“People are not well, disasters will increase, preparations should be increased. There is no option but to ensure community participation.” Emeritus professor of water resource management and climate change expert Dr. Ainun Nishat
A national dialogue entitled “Coastal Livelihood: Crisis and Action” was held at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of Jatiya Press Club organized by environmental organization Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara) on Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 10:30 am. One of the advisory committee members of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara) and Archbishop of Roman Catholic Church of Dhaka Vijay Nisphorus D’Cruz was the guest of honor at this national dialogue held under the chairmanship of OMI and moderated by Mr. Sharif Jamil, member secretary of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara). Coastal Region Khulna Former Member of Parliament (Reserved Women’s Seat) Advocate Gloria Varna Sarkar.
The former chairman of the National River Protection Commission was present as an honorable negotiator in the dialogue. Mujibur Rahman Howladar, Emeritus Professor of BRAC University. Ainun Nishat, Co-Convenor of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara), Sharmin Murshid, Private Advisor to Bangladesh Competition Commission, Co-Convenor of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara) MS Siddiqui. Mr. Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, Coordinator of Coastal Protection, Mr. Nikhil Chandra Bhadra delivered the welcome speech at the dialogue
Concept papers were presented in the dialogue by Mr. Mir Muhammad Ali, Assistant Professor and Departmental Chairman of Aquaculture Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Mr. Md. Iqbal Farooq, Research and Program Implementation Manager of private organization Blue Planet Initiative.
Also speaking at the event, we are coordinator Noor Alam Sheikh to protect Sundarbans, we are coordinator Sanjida Rahman to protect elections and representatives of the affected people of the coastal region. Farmer Rafiqul Islam of Barguna’s Taltali, Barguna’s environmental activist Shafiqul Islam Khokon, Cox’s Bazar’s environmental activists Faridul Alam Shahin and Tauhid Belal, Patuakhali’s Kalapara Mohammad Al Imran, Bagerhat’s affected woman Kamala Sarkar, forester Israfil Bayati, participated in the national dialogue. Arifur Rahman of Tengbagiri of Taltali Upazila of Barguna, school student Pragya Noor and others.

In the presiding address, Archbishop Vijay Nicephorus D’Cruz, OMI said, “We hear the cries of the people of the coast. Let their cry also ring in our hearts. All the people of this world of God are brothers. We must protect the environment to protect ourselves without getting into conflict. We all need to work together to tackle the effects of climate change.
Meanwhile, Sharif Jamil said that we (Dhara), one of the environmental organizations of the country, have started their activities for the protection of land, but they have started working on the problems of climate, environment etc. in different areas of the country. The coast is very important among the environmentally sensitive areas of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of the few countries in the world that are under threat due to climate change and as a result of the risk of climate change, the people and ecology of the coast of Bangladesh are in crisis today. As a result of climate change and various unplanned development activities, the well-being of coastal people has become one of the challenges.
Advocate Gloria Jharna Sarkar said in the national dialogue, those who are destroying the river, those who are occupying the canal belong to this society, our family, the society. They are always around power, they are businessmen. All residents and society must work together to protect the river and the environment.
Dr. Mujibur Rahman Hawladar said that the structures created by occupying the river should be evacuated. A power plant cannot be built by occupying the river. The river must be saved. We must work together to save the environment.

Dr. Ainun Nishat said, nature is changing. We must understand nature. In the country of six seasons, Bangladesh has become four seasons today. Even in Asadha, rain is not seen anymore. Sea level is rising. The southwest coast will disappear into the ocean and the salinity will increase further inland. There is no alternative to rainwater harvesting. To make people aware
will be Community Based Adaptation should be done, community participants should be increased.
In the dialogue, Sharmin Murshid said, the river is public property. Whose decision is being blocked in this river? Throwing waste in the river should be stopped by law. Mass movement should be developed to protect the coast. It has become imperative to ensure the participation of the people of the coastal communities.
In the event, MS Siddiqui said, what will we do with development if people are not there? People must be saved. We must save the river and the environment. Everyone must work together to prevent the effects of climate change.
In the dialogue Noor Alam Sheikh said, we live in water all year round but we do not get clean water for drinking. Rampal power plant’s hot water is being released into the river. The fish in the river are dying. Other animals are suffering from various diseases.

Sanjida Rahman said, the distance from Chunti Sanctuary to Banskhali thermal power station is only 3 km. Due to the impact of this thermal power plant, the sanctuary is on the verge of destruction, biodiversity is disappearing and on-site inspection has shown the Tankavati river flowing through Amirabad Rajghata on Chittagong Cox’s Bazar highway, streams coming down from the hill, various types of rotting and smelly garbage of Lohagara city including the hospital waste of Lohagara city are being thrown there. Due to which the environment of the area is being polluted, the poultry is being hindered in rearing animals and the flow of water in Tankavati is being obstructed.

Other interlocutors in the dialogue said that increasing salinity has increased the scarcity of fresh water in the region. 73% of households in the Sundarbans coast are forced to drink bad water instead of safe water. In the last 12 years, 85 lakh 95 thousand people of the coastal region have been displaced. Over the past 35 years, salinity has increased by 26 percent in coastal areas from 2 ppt to 7 ppt, affecting agriculture. Health risks have also increased due to increased salinity. High blood pressure is increasing and birth rate is decreasing. Pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure rates among pregnant mothers on the coast increased from 6.8 to 39.5 percent. Nationally, the birth rate in the country is 1.37 percent, but in Shyamnagar, Satkhira, the birth rate is only 0.89 percent. In addition, women’s uterine diseases, pregnancy risks and even the rate of giving birth to premature babies have increased.
Victims of Climate Impacts from Coastal Zones in National Dialogue Say Rivers Due to Climate Change
Rising salinity, lack of rainfall, water pollution from wastes also lead to hilsa sanctuaries being filled with various projects during the busy season.

The main reason for not meeting Hilsa. Long dives in the sea adjacent to Kuakata in Patuakhali, Ravanabad, Agunmukha, Andharmanik area.
As it is a thermal power plant, the movement of hilsa has decreased. Coastal fisheries in Matarbari region adjacent to Cox’s Bazar and
Fishermen’s livelihood is under threat.
The victims also said that due to the commencement of various development projects in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar, which is notable for coastal salt cultivation, salt water has been stopped from entering the land of salt farmers. There is no water now, and therefore no salt cultivation. As a result, the farmers who are dependent on salt farming are facing a livelihood crisis.
The dialogue calls for governments, civil society, environmental experts, environmental activists and affected populations to work together to address the impacts of climate change on coastal areas.