On Sunday, November 10th, at 4:00 PM, a climate dialogue titled “জুলাই গণঅভ্যুত্থান পরবর্তী বাংলাদেশে জলবায়ু পরিবর্তন মোকাবেলায় নাগরিক ভাবনা” was held at the RC Majumdar Auditorium of Dhaka University. The event was organized jointly by the Organization for Climate Resilience and Environmental Conservation (OCREC), Waterkeepers Bangladesh, Dhaka University Research Society (DURS), and the Fresh Water Foundation. The dialogue aimed to discuss various issues such as the country’s climate plans, climate refugees, climate politics, and job security during climate crises.

In his keynote speech, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, emphasized the relevance of the topic of today’s discussion in the context of climate change. He also highlighted the positive and necessary involvement of political student organizations in climate discussions. He then elaborated on the importance of climate resilience in tackling climate change, stressing that while resilience is crucial, it is equally important to address disaster mitigation related to climate change. Otherwise, existing and future climate plans may not yield the desired results.

Among the other speakers, Javed Rasin, a member of the National Citizen’s Committee, remarked on the critical role of political stakeholders in addressing the climate crisis. He argued that climate issues cannot be separated from politics. Criticizing the past governments’ Ministry of Environment and departments, he stressed the need for these institutions to be free of corruption and become more people-oriented. He also suggested that educational initiatives should be implemented to change the mindset of the people.

Umama Fatema, The Spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, advocated for the increased production and use of jute products instead of plastic. She also discussed the environmental damage caused by allowing brick kilns to operate in rural areas due to corruption, which has led to the destruction of agricultural land, jeopardizing food security. Additionally, she criticized the Rampal Power Plant established under the previous government and made several recommendations for addressing climate change in future Bangladesh.

SM Farhad, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka University branch, expressed concerns about the construction of dams upstream on cross-border rivers. He stressed the importance of addressing local climate issues before focusing on global ones. He also mentioned that, as a student organization, Chhatra Shibir has included climate-related books in their curriculum to help raise climate-conscious future generations. He concluded his speech by discussing corruption in climate-related projects and how to prevent it.

Climate researcher and Convener of Dhaka University for Climate Action, Ishtiaq Noor Muhit, pointed out that there is a lack of awareness among Bangladesh’s policymakers about climate issues. He criticized the government’s climate efforts as limited to hosting seminars, conferences, and COP meetings, as well as fundraising from international forums, without implementing meaningful climate initiatives. He called for the appointment of qualified and environmentally conscious individuals in decision-making roles.

The event was moderated by Abu Shadat Md Sayem, Director of OCREC, and the opening remarks were given by Mohammad Fahim Hasan Mahdi, President of the Dhaka University Research Society (DURS). Fahim highlighted the research initiatives of DURS related to environment and climate and called for collective efforts from the public to tackle climate challenges.

All the speakers at the dialogue shared their perspectives on addressing climate change, acknowledging the need for unified action to combat the issue. They also expressed a commitment to work together to address climate change.

After the student-led uprising on August 5th, the political and social landscape of Bangladesh has undergone significant changes. Given this context, there is a renewed need for in-depth discussions on social and political issues, including the country’s climate crisis. This type of event was warmly welcomed by the aware citizenry.