Rules to implement Disaster Management Act stressed
22 March 2015
Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a seminar on Saturday urged the government to formulate further rules for the proper implementation of Disaster Management Act to help the climate induced migrants in the country.
A large number of people are being displaced from their lands every year due to adverse effects of climate change in Bangladesh, but most of them are yet to be rehabilitated due to the lack adequate national and international initiatives, they said.
Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD) along with some other likeminded organizations organized the seminar titled 'Rights of Climate Migrants: National and International Perspective' at the Jatiya Press Club in the city.
Stressing the need for a guideline for the climate induced migrants, climate change expert Ziaul Haque Mukta said Bangladesh government has passed the Disaster Management Act, which includes the issue of rehabilitation on disaster-related displacement, but there are hardly any details in rules.
"People are not getting benefit of it because of the absence of rules. There are so many loopholes in the Act. The Government should formulate further rules for the proper implementation of law. Otherwise, it would not come to the people's help," he said.
"Around 27 million people are being forced to leave their places every year due to climate change and natural disasters across the world.
Of them, 80 per cent people are from South East Asian nations, especially from Bangladesh, China and Vietnam," Ziaul Haque said.
"The rich countries are responsible for the global warming but the poor countries are taking brunt of it. The rich nations should streamline their visa policy for the climate induced migrants," he added.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of the Palli Karma Shahyak Foundation (PKSF), said the frequency and intensity of natural calamities have significantly increased in the recent years, causing more people displaced from their lands.
All effected countries and their stakeholders should raise their voice together to press the international community to take effective measure for the climate-hit people, he said.
Regarding the government's present role on the issue, Kholiquzzaman said Bangladesh played vital roles in the climate change negotiations during the previous five years.
"But from the last year, we are a bit lagging behind in this regard. Concerned ministries and authorities should take initiative to revamp it," he said.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Qumrul Islam Chowdhury, Dr Ahsan Uddin, Sayed Aminul Haque, Tanvir Ahmed and Anwar Islam Babu also spoke on the occasion, among others.
Speakers at a seminar on Saturday urged the government to formulate further rules for the proper implementation of Disaster Management Act to help the climate induced migrants in the country.
A large number of people are being displaced from their lands every year due to adverse effects of climate change in Bangladesh, but most of them are yet to be rehabilitated due to the lack adequate national and international initiatives, they said.
Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD) along with some other likeminded organizations organized the seminar titled 'Rights of Climate Migrants: National and International Perspective' at the Jatiya Press Club in the city.
Stressing the need for a guideline for the climate induced migrants, climate change expert Ziaul Haque Mukta said Bangladesh government has passed the Disaster Management Act, which includes the issue of rehabilitation on disaster-related displacement, but there are hardly any details in rules.
"People are not getting benefit of it because of the absence of rules. There are so many loopholes in the Act. The Government should formulate further rules for the proper implementation of law. Otherwise, it would not come to the people's help," he said.
"Around 27 million people are being forced to leave their places every year due to climate change and natural disasters across the world.
Of them, 80 per cent people are from South East Asian nations, especially from Bangladesh, China and Vietnam," Ziaul Haque said.
"The rich countries are responsible for the global warming but the poor countries are taking brunt of it. The rich nations should streamline their visa policy for the climate induced migrants," he added.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of the Palli Karma Shahyak Foundation (PKSF), said the frequency and intensity of natural calamities have significantly increased in the recent years, causing more people displaced from their lands.
All effected countries and their stakeholders should raise their voice together to press the international community to take effective measure for the climate-hit people, he said.
Regarding the government's present role on the issue, Kholiquzzaman said Bangladesh played vital roles in the climate change negotiations during the previous five years.
"But from the last year, we are a bit lagging behind in this regard. Concerned ministries and authorities should take initiative to revamp it," he said.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Qumrul Islam Chowdhury, Dr Ahsan Uddin, Sayed Aminul Haque, Tanvir Ahmed and Anwar Islam Babu also spoke on the occasion, among others.
