Bicycle Rallies and Demonstrations was held in Bangladesh to demand climate finance for Eastern Asia

On September 20, 2024, protests were held in South and Southeast Asia demanding $5 trillion annually in climate compensation for East Asia.

As part of this, protest rallies and bicycle rallies were organized to demand climate finance in 10 places in six districts of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka. The news was informed in a press release by Waterkeepers Bangladesh.

Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development- APMDD and Asian Energy Network(AEN) jointly organized this program across Asia. Local organizations, including DHORA and WATERKEEPERS BANGLADESH help in organizing these programs in Bangladesh.

The protests have been organized ahead of the UN General Assembly session in New York as well as future summits. It is part of the Global Week of Action, a week-long event in 58 countries calling for an end to fossil fuel use and climate funding.

APMDD coordinator Liddy Nakpil stated that 2024 was a devastating year for those impacted by the climate crisis. In the first half of the year, extreme heat in South and Southeast Asia led to school closures, food production disruptions, and damage to power grids.

During that period, 568 people lost their lives due to heat stroke in the southern part of Pakistan in just six days. In the latter half of the year, heavy monsoon rains linked to climate change led to Bangladesh’s worst floods in a century, displacing millions and causing $282 million in crop damage.

The Philippines lost 9.5 billion pesos this year to El Niño, impacting over 175,000 farmers and fishermen. This year’s extreme weather shows that those most affected by climate change, who contribute little to global carbon emissions, are often the most vulnerable. ‍

Sharif Jameel, member secretary of Dharitri Rakshaya Amara and coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, stated at the rally that, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed countries were agreed to support the climate programs of developing countries. And agreed to provide financial support for the projects.

The COP29 conference in November will focus on improving climate finance targets for the Global South. COP-29 is expected to establish a new collective quantified goal for climate finance, replacing the previous $100 billion target. This earlier goal has been criticized as insufficient. As a coastal vulnerable country, we demand immediate funding from the Climate Fund to address our damage and adaption activities.

On the said day in the morning in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka, DHORA and Waterkeepers Bangladesh and BD Tourist Cyclists jointly organized a protest rally and cycle rally. Mamun Kabir, co-convener of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, and MS Siddiqui, private advisor of the Bangladesh Competition Commission, were the chief guests at an event chaired by Ibnul Saeed Rana, a leader of DHORA and Brahmaputra Affiliate Riverkeeper.

Assistant Professor Mir Muhammad Ali, Chairman of Aquaculture Department of Shere Bangla Agricultural University, Aminul Islam Tubbus, Chief Coordinator of BD Tourist Cyclist, Ismail Ghazi, General Secretary of River And Social Development Bangladesh-RSDB and Iqbal Farooq, Manager of Research Department of Waterkeepers Bangladesh among others were also present as guests in the gathering.

In the speech of the chief guest, MS Siddiqui said, through the protest rally and cycle rally, we want to inform Govt. of Bangladesh and the world that Bangladesh is not responsible for the increase in temperature due to climate change, rather it is the responsibility of the western world.

But to our detriment we get loans from them instead of grants, which increases the burden on us. Again, they do the planning and consultancy of the loan cost, so the principal goes back to them. This cycle must be broken, and western countries must be fairly compensated through the Climate Fund.

Ibnul Saeed Rana stated in his speech that Western countries have raised global temperatures for their luxury, harming Eastern nations like Bangladesh.  They must be allocated $5 trillion annually as grants for east Asian countries to meet the damages of climate change.

Mir Mohammad Ali, chairman of the Aquaculture Department at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, stated that while western countries have gained from industrialization, coastal nations face increased risks. Climate change has increased salinity in coastal areas, leading to food and drinking water shortages. We want climate funding for the vulnerable people of our country, but it has to be grants, not loans.

BD Tourist Cyclist Chief Coordinator Aminul Islam Tubbus said, “We as cyclists want to tell the world by cycling that we need to increase the use of bicycles to reduce global warming and reduce the use of fossil gas powered vehicles. Also, we want fair compensation for the damage already done.”

Iqbal Farooq, manager of Waterkeepers Bangladesh’s research department, stated, “We want to clarify that we are not responsible for climate change, so it is not our responsibility.” Western countries, who are responsible for this, must pay this reparation, and it must be in the form of grants, not loans.

Mamun Kabir, Manager of Communications and Advocacy of Water Kipper Bangladesh, stated that Western countries have a significant climate debt due to their historical and ongoing actions, which greatly impact Eastern populations.

It is their government’s responsibility to repay this debt and compensate for the damage caused by extreme weather caused by climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change requires wealthy countries to provide grant-based climate finance to support adaptation and repair in eastern regions.

After the rally, hundreds of cyclists took part in a cycle rally to demand funding for the climate fund. Participants at the rally displayed banners and signs with messages like “Do allocate to the Climate Fund,” “Pay Your Debt,” “Fund 100% Renewable Energy,” and “Stop Using Fossil Fuels.”

At the end of the cycle rally, “Climate Strike 2024” was held at Shahbagh and organized by Waterkeepers Bangladesh. The Climate Strike calls for financial support to tackle climate change and encourages a transition to 100% renewable energy, moving away from fossil fuels. Young people from different areas of Dhaka participated in this strike.

It was attended by Ibnul Saeed Rana, Co-Convener of DHORA and MS Siddiqui, Private Advisor of Bangladesh Competition Commission, Mir Mohammad Ali, Chairman of Aquaculture Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Aminul Islam Tubbus, Chief Coordinator of BD Tourist Cyclist, River and Social Development Bangladesh’s General Secretary Ismail Ghazi and Waterkeepers Bangladesh’s Iqbal Farooq. Mamun Kabir, Saeed Hossain, and puppeteer Shahriar Shawon.

At the same time, rallies and bicycle rallies were also held in Jaintapur of Sylhet, Mongla of Bagerhat, Pekua of Cox’s Bazar, Kutubdia, Sadar of Cox’s Bazar, Maheshkhali, Patharghata of Barguna, Barguna Sadar, Taltali and Kuataka of Patuakhali in Bangladesh, to demand funding for climate fund.