RAJSHAHI, July 26, 2018 (BSS)-Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate
Change Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, MP, has underscored the need for
adopting projects aimed at mitigating and adapting to the adverse impacts of
climate change.
“We are very much worried about the detrimental impacts of climate change in
the country and urged all entities concerned to undertake need-based projects
for mitigating the damaging impacts effectively,” he further said.
The minister was addressing a seminar in the conference hall of Barind
Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) here on Wednesday evening as the
chief guest with BMDA Chairman Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury in the chair.
The BMDA organised the seminar styled “Community Forestry in Barind Tract:
Role of BMDA Focusing on Ultra High Density Mango Plantation for Improvement
of Nutrition of Ultra Poor in Barind Tract”.
Barind Integrated Landscape Transformation Multi Stakeholder Platform
supported the programme.
Director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development Dr.
Saleemul Huq, senior advisor of Asian Development Bank Dr. Asaduzzaman, BMDA
Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid, director of Department of
Environment Md Ashrafuzzaman and conservator of forests Abdul Awal Sarker
spoke on the occasion.
Executive engineer of BMDA Abdul Latif, Bangladesh Coordinator of 2030 Water
Resource Group Sayef Tanzeem Qayyum and Zahirul Islam from Syngenta
Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture presented three separate keynote
papers on different dimensions of the issue.
Barrister Anisul Islam said the country has started facing the harmful
impacts of climate change and the present government under the dynamic
leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very much positive to mitigate
those accurately.
He urged the BMDA officials to submit only the need-oriented projects as
early as possible to protect the Barind area from the destructive impacts of
climate change.
He stressed more surface water based irrigation projects as excessive use of
groundwater is affecting agriculture in the drought-prone area.
Barrister Mahmud viewed that protecting groundwater resources in the region
and the high Barind tract in particular has become indispensable for making
its agricultural system protected and sustainable.
Various issues like BMDA programmes and practices, mapping surface water,
groundwater recharging and monitoring, climate change adaptation and
mitigation through precision agriculture were discussed elaborately in the
seminar.
Dr Akram Chowdhury said the region scored significant progress in the sectors
of crop production and greenery following the expansion of irrigation
facilities along with supplying water from the re-excavated canals and ponds.