Saber for saving environment to sustain country’s growth trend

Nature and the environment must be protected to make the country’s growth trend sustainable, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said today (13 June).

“We should work sincerely to prevent biodiversity loss and pollution in the country,” he told a seminar titled “Bangladesh Achieving Green Growth: From a Shared Vision to Action” organised by the World Bank at a Dhaka hotel.

Speaking as the chief guest on the occasion, Saber Hossain said Bangladesh is a role model in various sectors before the world and it will be able to set an example in green growth too.

“We can all succeed in implementing Green Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by working together,” he said.

The environment minister said various sectors should be made environment-friendly to implement green growth.

Mentioning that the country’s environment must be protected, he said, if the pollution remains high, there will be no growth.

“Waste management system should be improved. We must go for nature-based solutions. Along with the government, the private sector should come forward to protect environment,” he asserted.

“In that case, the government will provide incentives to the private sector. Let us all realise the dream of building a green and sustainable Bangladesh,” Saber Hossain said.

In his speech, State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarkar said Bangladesh will graduate from the least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026.

“To address climate change and for development of the country, the government is implementing the Perspective Plan, Delta Plan, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and National Adaptation Plan,” he said.

Lawmaker Nahim Razzaq, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AKM Maksud Kamal, World Bank Country Director for Bhutan and Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck and Additional Secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry Dr Fahmida Khanam also spoke at the seminar, among others.

The guests unveiled the Green Growth publication.

Government officials, representatives from non-government organisations, researchers and environmentalists participated in the seminar.

The speakers discussed various aspects of achieving green growth in Bangladesh and exchanged views on the country’s green growth plan and its implementation process.