Call for Long-Term Plan to Combat Climate Change in Bangladesh

Khulna, Bangladesh – Experts at a recent workshop have urged the establishment of a long-term economic and social development framework to address the escalating impacts of climate change in Bangladesh’s southwestern region. Speakers emphasized that while wealthy nations hold significant responsibility for the global climate crisis, Bangladesh—especially its southwest coastal belt—remains one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world due to its geographical and environmental vulnerabilities. The workshop, organized by Jagrata Juba Shangha (JJS), took place on November 26 at the CSS Ava Center in Sadar Thana, Khulna. It was attended by coastal adolescents, civil society members, academics, NGO representatives, and journalists, with support from the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF). Participants warned that climate change is increasing both the frequency and severity of disasters, threatening lives, livelihoods, and local ecosystems. Each year, cyclones, storms, tidal surges, droughts, river erosion, and waterlogging push more families into extreme poverty. Experts highlighted the ongoing impact on the coastal belt, where such disasters have become a routine part of life. Rising sea levels and increasing salinity are further threatening the region, including causing the death of large, centuries-old trees in the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest. The speakers also stressed the urgent need for action on global warming, loss and damage, and the provision of safe water and sanitation at local, national, and global levels. Concern was also expressed over living conditions in coastal urban slums, where adolescents and children face hardship. Economic stress has contributed to a rise in early marriage, particularly among teenage girls. Saziya Afrin Siddiqee, Program Officer at the Department of Women Affairs, Khulna, attended as the chief guest, while ATM Zakir Hossain, Executive Director of JJS, presided over the program. Special guests included Prof. Md Mostafizur Rahman of Khulna University, Prof. Dr. Md Nazmul Haque of KUET, and Dr. Anjum Tasnuva, Associate Professor at KUET’s Institute of Disaster Management. Md Sohel Rana, Research and Learning Coordinator of JJS, presented insights on non-economic losses and shared experiences of vulnerable communities, particularly women and youth.