Meeting with Bangladesh’s Poribesh Bacchao Andolan

By Ansar Ahmed Ullah ::

A meeting was organised by the ‘European Action Group on Climate Change in
Bangladesh’ (EAG) on Monday 2nd   November 2015 at Montefiore Centre,
Hanbury Street, East London to discuss issues relating to the environmental
movement in Bangladesh and what might emerge in COP21 conference in Paris
later this year.

The principal guest speaker at the meeting was Abu Naser Khan, Chairman of
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) in Bangladesh.

Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Chairman of the European Action Group conducted the
proceedings. Syed Enamul Islam Vice Chairman of the European Action Group
made the opening remarks welcoming Abu Naser Khan and outlining the key
tasks that lies ahead.

In his keynote speech Abu Naser Khan gave an overview of the history of the
environmental movement in Bangladesh and pointed out the problems of
conflict of interest that can arise in trying to balance collective and
individual concerns. He also cautioned the audience of external corporate
forces, internal vested interests and significant elements of the
bureaucracy and institutions attempting to hijack any people based movement.
He also argued that environment cannot simply be limited to the issue of
carbon footprint. He said, ‘We need to think seriously about consumption
patterns, adaptation of environment friendly technology, qualitative changes
in educational system and overhauling of the mind set of bureaucrats and
civil society agencies.’

In the subsequent discussion speakers talked about the link between micro
and macro aspects of environmental concerns, the role of civil society and
NGO’s, involvement of young people, the need for infrastructure development
alongside the protection of environment, development of expertise in diverse
fields such as town planning, urban regeneration, urban design etc. Those
who spoke and took part in discussion were Murad Qureshi AM, London
Assembly, Akhter Sobhan Musroor, Vice chair EAG, Aziz Chowdhury, advisor
EAG, TV journalist Md Abu Sufian, Proshenjit Dutta, Bangabandhu Sangskritic
Jote, Majumdar Ali, Awami League, Nisar Ahmed, Communist Party of
Bangladesh, Moshfique Noor, Labour Party, Alamgir Kabir Chowdhury,
BritBangla vision, journalist Hamid Mohammed, Shah Mustafijur Rahman Belal
and Jamal Khan.

Finally the meeting was rounded off by a vote of thanks to Abu Naser Khan
and the participants by Ansar Ahmed Ullah.