Good governance not possible by maintaining psychological distance from people: Rizwana
HM Sagar, Savar
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said, "Good governance cannot be established by simply centralizing power while maintaining a psychological distance between the administration and the people."
She made these remarks at the inauguration of a one lakh tree planting program organized by the upazila administration to protect the balance of the environment at the Savar Upazila Parishad premises on Saturday afternoon.
He further said, "People are no longer accepting injustice easily. We think that the people are not organized, but we (those in power) are organized - this idea is wrong. Currently, people are organizing themselves in different places and protesting against injustice. The people will no longer accept this kind of misrule."
The process of change has begun.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, "A country that has been going the same way for 53 years cannot suddenly change in a year or a half. However, the trend of change has begun, and it will be understood if you observe it. The government of a country fails only when the people also fail. The failure of the government is the failure of the people."
Taking steps to prevent environmental pollution, he denied responsibility for the failure of the government's efforts to ban polythene shopping bags, saying, "We have not failed, rather, many things are stalled due to structural problems."
He said that plans have been finalized to prevent encroachment and pollution of Karnapara Canal and Turag River in Savar.
An effective plan is also being taken to remove polythene accumulated at the bottom of the Buriganga River. However, implementation is being delayed as there are only four executive magistrates in the Department of Environment.
He also said that discussions are underway with China and South Korea to modernize waste management in Aminbazar. Pollution prevention in Aminbazar and the tannery area has been included in the official action plan.
Awareness is essential to protect rivers.
"It is true that industrial enterprises pollute rivers and provide jobs, but rivers are also saving the lives of millions of people. Dhaka's rivers were once a source of fish, which is now almost nonexistent. Farmers are also disappearing from Dhaka city," said Rizwana Hasan.
Finally, he called on everyone to come forward together to prevent river and environmental pollution.
Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed and other officials were also present at the event.
