Dhaka has sought Beijing's cooperation in managing air pollution, as Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Monday requested China to share its control mechanism and relevant information with Bangladesh.
The environment, forests and climate change adviser said, "We can learn from China's policies, innovations and community-driven approaches in controlling air pollution."
She also underscored the importance of sharing comprehensive information on common rivers and also wanted to know from China about plans for the Brahmaputra river.
Ms Rizwana said this at a seminar styled 'Analysis of Environmentally Sustainable Development and Management in China and Bangladesh' hosted by the Centre for China Studies, University of Dhaka.
The event was organised in the virtual classroom of the Vice-Chancellor Suite.
The adviser said, "We must remain honest in our sustainable development efforts. Decades of activism are needed to protect the environment. We can't win a race against nature, but we need to redesign development patterns and hold polluters accountable."
"Destroying rivers for the leather industry or flattening hills for unregulated development is unacceptable," she uttered.
Ms Rizwana highlighted that technological advancements must respect the fundamental principles of nature.
"We must focus on managing development activities sustainably rather than attempting to manage nature itself."
The adviser exhorted the Dhaka University authorities to phase out single-use plastics from the campus, demonstrating leadership in sustainability.
Yao Wen, Chinese ambassador in Dhaka, and Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, spoke at the programme as special guests.
Li Fengting, professor at Tongji University and director of the UNEP-Tongji Environmental Innovation Cooperation Centre, presented a keynote paper.
Prof Shamsad Mortuza, director of the Office of International Affairs, also shared his insights during the seminar.
The event concluded with a dynamic question-and-answer session, reflecting the keen interest of students and researchers in advancing sustainable environmental management.
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