A family bicycle rally was held at Dhaka to demand that 100% of energy needs be met by renewable energy
On May 18, 2024, a family bicycle rally took place in the capital Dhaka of Bangladesh. The rally aimed to promote a future without fossil fuels and encourage the use of 100% renewable energy.
The program “Pedal 2024 for People and Earth” was organized on the same day in different Asian countries, including Bangladesh.
APMDD, DHARA, BD Tourist Cyclist, and Waterkeepers Bangladesh joined forces to organize the bicycle rally. The goal of this rally was to promote the well-being of people and the planet by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel, and octane.
This family bicycle rally was held in the morning on May 18, 2024 at Shahbagh in Dhaka, which was conducted by Mamun Kabir, Communications and Advocacy Manager of Waterkeepers Bangladesh and MS Siddiqui, private advisor to Bangladesh Competition Commission and co-convener of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara (Dhara) was present as the chief guest.
Monir Hossain Chowdhury, General Secretary of ERDA, Professor Mir Mohammad Ali, Chairman of the Aquaculture Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, and Md. Aminul Islam Tubbus, Chief Coordinator of BD Tourist cyclists etc., were also present as guests in the event.
Bangladesh Photo and Tourism Club Director Md Shahiduzzaman Badal, Mirpur Boys Stand Group Coordinator Mohammad Ali Rimon, Vice President of Bangladesh Cycle Lane Implementation Council, Mohammad Riaz and Swapan Das, Dhaka University Students Abeda Sultana Milli, Costa Rica Rani Biswas Anjuman Ara, Samya, Md Kazimul Islam among others were also present at that event.
Inaugurating the rally, MS Siddiqui said, “To save our planet, to save our people, we need to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy fast. To reduce environmental pollution, we should stop using cars powered by fossil fuels and switch to non-fuel vehicles and bicycles.”
“Bicycle is still the main vehicle of people in the villages of North Bengal of Bangladesh. Children go to school by bicycle. Urban people pollute the environment by using motorcycles and automobiles. But to protect our environment and land, we need to develop the habit of cycling,” he added.
General Secretary of ERDA Monir Hossain Chowdhury said, “Families have come to this program by cycling today in this rally. Seeing this program, other families in the country will also be encouraged to use bicycles. We have to cycle to create a beautiful pollution-free environment. This woman’s safety needs to be ensured.”
Professor Mir Mohammad Ali criticized the Bangladesh government for not taking any action to support their commitment to use fossil fuels. “In my country, we are concerned about the construction of coal-based power plants in environmentally sensitive areas, despite the Paris Climate Agreement,” he said with anger.
“So the government has to stop the activities that cause serious damage to the environment. To improve the environment, we should create dedicated bicycle lanes in our country, similar to developed countries. This will motivate more people to ride bicycles and help reduce accidents,” he added.
Professor Mir Mohammad Ali was and said, “We must reduce pollution to meet the challenge of climate change. This is why we need to transition to renewable energy. I hope that this family cycle rally today will encourage the people of the country to use fossil fuels.”
Md Aminul Islam Tubbus, chief coordinator of BD Tourist Cyclist, mentioned that separate cycling lanes have been created in various countries around the world to promote the use of bicycles. But our country still does not have bicycle lanes,” he said with disappointment.
He told “We want to encourage the use of bicycles to rid the world of fossil fuels.”
“Safe cycle lanes on roads are essential for this. I strongly urge the government to implement cycle lanes,” he added.
Mr. Mamun Kabir from Waterkeepers Bangladesh said that stopping the use of fossil fuels and transitioning to 100% renewable energy is crucial to address the challenges of climate change. A
He further said, “We call on the government to ensure the use of 100% renewable energy. To leave a clean world for our future generation we must stop using fossil fuels and switch to 100% renewable energy.”
“Increasing bicycle usage accelerates the work of families, communities, and the overall well-being of the world,” he added.
After the opening ceremony, the family cycle rally started from Shahbagh and circled the various roads of Dhaka University and ended at the Central Shaheed Minar, Dhaka. Many cyclists and their family members, including fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, and wives, took part in the rally.
At the end of the rally, the best cyclist Anwar Hossain Rum’s family was awarded by the organizers. They participated in the rally with all the family members.
Also on the same day, APMDD, Dharitri Rakshaye Amara (Dhara), and Waterkeepers Bangladesh jointly organized this family bicycle rally on the same demand at Kalapara in Patuakhali, Patharghata in Barguna, Mongla in Bagerhat, and Pekua in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh.
