The way to Copenhagen
Saturday, 19 September 2009
SUCCESSIVE governments in Bangladesh, it seems, expected the disaster looming over the country from earth warming would somehow automatically dissipate. Did the governments want the people of Bangladesh to submit to fate. There could be no worse instance of governmental irresponsibility.
Given due initiative, Bangladesh can get a substantial amount of external assistance, in compensation as well assistance from the offending countries to develop protection against climate change. The pledges of assistance would be made for the short, medium and long terms for Bangladesh and other countries to use funds to build barriers and adopt technologies to cope with climatic change. For example, dykes could be built in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, just like in Holland, to keep the rising sea level away. Research to evolve drought and flood resistance crops would be called for.
But where is the Bangladesh initiative in this regard? As the wise saying goes, 'even a mother does not feed her infant until the baby cries'. So, where is the cry or the shout for the international community --specially the top polluting countries -- to help the countries, including Bangladesh, that would be victims of global warming ?
Our leaders are looking ahead to the Copenhagen conference in December that would be a landmark event on climate change. But are they preparing for it? Or the members of the Bangladesh delegation would, as usual, remain busy sight seeing and shopping? Are they preparing to get the best out of Copenhagen?
Sabiha Mahmood
East Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Given due initiative, Bangladesh can get a substantial amount of external assistance, in compensation as well assistance from the offending countries to develop protection against climate change. The pledges of assistance would be made for the short, medium and long terms for Bangladesh and other countries to use funds to build barriers and adopt technologies to cope with climatic change. For example, dykes could be built in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, just like in Holland, to keep the rising sea level away. Research to evolve drought and flood resistance crops would be called for.
But where is the Bangladesh initiative in this regard? As the wise saying goes, 'even a mother does not feed her infant until the baby cries'. So, where is the cry or the shout for the international community --specially the top polluting countries -- to help the countries, including Bangladesh, that would be victims of global warming ?
Our leaders are looking ahead to the Copenhagen conference in December that would be a landmark event on climate change. But are they preparing for it? Or the members of the Bangladesh delegation would, as usual, remain busy sight seeing and shopping? Are they preparing to get the best out of Copenhagen?
Sabiha Mahmood
East Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka.