In order to ensure social accountability in the implementation of climate policy and fund management, NGO Wave Foundation organized a seminar with local journalists in Kalapara, Patuakhali on Thursday at 11:00 AM in Engineer Md. Touhidur Rahman Auditorium of the Press Club.
Presided over by Press Club President Nesar Uddin Ahmed Tipu, the speakers said that irregularities in disaster management, non-utilization of allocated funds for tackling climate risks, lack of transparency in relief distribution during and after disasters, and absence of grassroots or marginal people’s participation in development projects are major challenges.
In this seminar under Wave Foundation’s SCGGP project (Strengthening Climate Governance through Participation of Grassroots People in Bangladesh), Project Officer Ashiqur Rahman highlighted various aspects of empowerment through the participation of Bangladeshi grassroots communities. Community Mobilization Officer Sonia Akter of the organization was also present.
The speakers at the seminar said that social accountability and climate governance must be implemented to combat climate risks. Transparency and accountability must be ensured in the agricultural assistance and rehabilitation budget allocated for cyclone-affected people in coastal areas. Alongside training, awareness must also be increased. Various irregularities and misuse in emergency relief distribution must be prevented. The illogical administrative costs, where administrative expenses of project implementation are increased three to four times, must be reduced.
In the second session of the seminar, participating journalists, divided into three groups, presented proposals highlighting various inconsistencies based on an imaginary budget.
Journalists from Kalapara Press Club, Kalapara Reporters Unity, and Kalapara Reporters Club working in print and electronic media were present at the seminar.
