Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said Wednesday adverse impact of climate change is causing a significant loss to the country's economy.
"Bangladesh suffers losses worth Tk 220 billion to Tk 230 billion a year and it witnesses natural disasters like Aila and Sidr, that are simply consequence of the climate change", the planning minister said while inaugurating a training programme as the chief guest.
Under the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMPII), the General Economic Division (GED) of the planning commission organised the workshop styled 'Poverty, environment, disaster and climate change inclusive development project design' in the city.
Planning Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Mesbah-ul Alam, UNDP Deputy Country Director Nick Beresford and National Project Director (NPD) of the CDMPII, among others, addressed the workshop.
General Economic Division (GED) Member Dr Shamsul Alam chaired the inaugural session while GED Joint Chief of the Planning Commission Mohammad Rafiqul Islam delivered the address of welcome.
The planning minister, however, said to combat the emerging challenges the world is facing, Bangladesh has adopted a comprehensive risk reduction approach covering all segments of disaster management.
He said the country has been making a paradigm shift on disaster management from the conventional relief and rehabilitation to more comprehensive approach, putting an emphasis on risk reduction by addressing vulnerabilities and covering disaster reduction and climate change adaptation.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said Bangladesh has reaffirmed its position as a global leader in disaster management and continues to demonstrate its efforts with a clear focus on bringing together disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through the strengthening of key institutions.
Lauding the government initiatives taken to fight the climate change, the UNDP representative said Bangladesh needs more inter-ministerial coordination, specially, between the Ministry of Planning and Disaster Management and Relief to accelerate the disaster-related activities.
