Staff Correspondent

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Thursday said 45 percent corals of the Saint Martin’s Island have been bleached and the rest are likely to be damaged by 2045 if economic activities cannot be controlled.

“Corals can be recovered through controlling economic activities unless all corals will be bleached to death and Saint Martin’s Islam will go under water,” she told a seminar of Jatiya Nagorik Committee titled “Environment, Climate and Politics in New Bangladesh” at Pani Bhaban in the capital.

Referring to an example of Thailand, Rizwana Hasan said only this year tourists have completely been banned in 11 coral islands in Thailand because 10-11 percent corals were bleached there.

“Thailand has many other corals islands. But Bangladesh has only one coral island. Thailand is controlling tourists in its most popular tourist spot Krabi Island and banned tourists as well. But we have not banned tourists,” she said.

About freeing canals in the capital Dhaka, the adviser said a comprehensive plan is underway to free Dhaka’s canals from encroachment and pollution to build ‘Blue Network’ centering the canals in the capital.

A committee (working group) has been formed and asked to prepare the primary work plan after holing a workshop by three days and the final work plan by November 30 with holding dialogues with the stakeholders, she said.

The working group includes representatives from various agencies such as the Water Development Board, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, Department of Environment, River Protection Commission, City Corporations, and others.

About preparing proper lists of rivers, canals, beels and haors, Rizwana Hasan said there was no basic information about these.

“We have already collected information from district levels. After finalizing the lists, we will soon upload proper lists of rivers, canals, haors and beels in our (ministry’s) website,” she said.

She said the government is giving utmost priority to environmental protection in building a new Bangladesh.

“We aim to initiate significant efforts for forest conservation and pollution prevention,” she said.

Urging youths to engage in combating climate change, she highlighted the crucial role of young people in protecting the environment.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. M. Mahfuzur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad Khan, RDRC Chairman Mohammad Ejaz, and special correspondent of Prothom Alo Iftekhar Mahmud spoke as the special guest with Jatiya Nagorik Committee Convener Nasir Uddin Patwary in the chair.

Jatiya Nagorik Committee Members Ariful Islam Adib, Monira Sharmeen, Zaved Rashin, Faisal Mahmud Shanto also spoke while government officials, environmentalists, and young climate activists joined it exchanging views on various aspects of environmental and climate issues.

Youth climate activists demanded for announcing those who are involved with grabbing of wetlands and rivers and involved in other environmental pollutions as incapable to participate in any polls of the country.

Over 20 youth organizations working on environmental issues joined the event.