Environmental protection has to be involved in development thinking

There is no end to the concerns about the global environment. Such concerns are normal and urgent. In different countries of the world, people involved in the environmental movement are carrying out various programs to make individuals and state leaders aware.

A piece of recent news about the environment has given some relief to individuals and environmental activists.

That is, the forums of the various developed countries of the world, which are working to stop the deterioration of the world’s environment; Newly-elected US President Joe Biden has vowed to return to the forum, which was marred by frustration over the United States’ withdrawal from the venue.

It is understood that President Biden has given special importance to the environment. He has been assigned to represent the United States at the World Environment Forum all the time and has been given the rank of Minister. This appointment will undoubtedly make environmental activists optimistic.

It is important to remember that the United States is at the top of industrialized nations responsible for the global environment’s deterioration. Instead of acknowledging the crime, former President Donald Trump walked out of the forum set up to protect the international environment.

The information has also been published about Bangladesh that the lower reaches of several districts in the southern part of our country are likely to be inundated. Although the countries concerned have thought about it, they are not so keen on its remedy. We are already starting to suffer from weather problems.

But our leadership is giving leap service in handling it; there is no effective and real effort.

As a result, the country is continuously moving towards environmental catastrophe. If these issues not address, the situation may quickly spiral out of control.

Bangladesh is a riverine country; rivers enrich the people and biodiversity in this country. Everyone knows the importance of water for fish and other aquatic life.

But water pollution has become so terrible that there is no end to the country’s worries about water resources.

Chemical industrial wastes are dumping into rivers.

Gradually some river water has become entirely unusable. Besides, Bangladesh is on the list of 10 countries endangered by polythene and plastic waste. Far from having any initiative to get out of it, no thought of the authorities can be heard about it.

Due to the callousness towards environmental protection, Bangladesh has lagged 40 steps in global environmental protection in the last ten years.

According to a published data, in 2015, 28 percent of the people died in Bangladesh due to various reasons related to environmental pollution.

There is no doubt that this rate has increased further till the present time. Apart from the lack of government initiatives, political pressure is a big obstacle in protecting the environment, and influential people are pointing fingers at the law. Moreover, experts involved in environmental work blame the inefficiency and mismanagement of the responsible government agencies.

We can see the government’s initiative to build Bangladesh as a middle-income country and its real reflection. But it must remember that development is not a fragmented issue – a lot has to do with it.

Suppose the concept of environmental conservation is left out, and the prevention of environmental degradation does not give importance.

In that case, the development will not be complete, but the environment’s continuous degradation will hamper the development plan in many ways. Success in agriculture will not be possible if the environment deteriorates. Again, the relationship between the environment and public health is profound.

A Healthy and strong workforce is a prerequisite for the development of any country. But if the environment continues to deteriorate, Bangladesh will become a weak and diseased country, where development plans will ruin.

The Constitution of Bangladesh has identified the health of the country’s people as a fundamental responsibility of the government. In this case, the government should not avoid responsibility in any way.

Therefore, the government has to prioritize many things to create a conducive environment for good health. As soon as the conscious reader of the newspaper notices, there are a lot of reports being published in the newspapers every day which present various pictures of environmental disasters.

Regrettably, the influential people of the society, with whom the powerful have close ties, are involved in these incidents. So it is not possible to tap these criminals.

These people are responsible for the deterioration of the country’s environment. If these do not stop, the environment will not be conserved only with the sparkle of words.

High-ranking government officials must know how strictly the world’s developed countries’ administrations protect the environment’s laws and regulations.

It has to admit that our people are not aware of the environment, which not teaches in educational institutions.

Another thing that can mention here is that river erosion is a big problem in riverine Bangladesh. Every year the shores of different rivers are extensively hunted.

As a result, all the vegetation, including the houses along the riverbank, disappeared. The people of these eroded areas cut down many trees to build new settlements. Another major cause of air pollution in the country is brick kiln smoke and sand.

There are innumerable brickfields in different parts of the country, from which a lot of pollution is happening.
People are suffering from various diseases, including shortness of breath. According to a study, these brickfields are the source of 56 percent of the country’s total air pollution.

It may also mention that most of these brick kilns are illegal without the authorities’ approval. The Brick Manufacturing and Kiln Establishment (Control) ordinance were issued in 2018 to make the brick kilns environment friendly. But these laws are only in books; they have no application.

The Environmental Conservation Act stipulates that brickfields cannot build on agricultural land. But many brickfields have been built on agricultural land. The soil used in these lowlands is being used to make bricks by cutting the fertile soil on the surrounding crop fields’ surface, causing severe damage to agriculture.

The matter is to be looked into by the Ministry of Agriculture, but no one seems to have a headache with it.
While the issue of environmental protection is multidimensional, it demands that everyone be aware of it. It is essential to connect environmental thinking with people’s daily lives.

The capital of the country is significant in many ways. So there is no room for debate about whether its environment is suitable for human habitation. About two crore people live in metropolitan Dhaka. Dhaka is one of the largest cities in the world in terms of population.

Compared to other major cities globally, with the facilities and comforts available for the citizens, Dhaka will become an uninhabitable city. If we talk about this city’s environment, it has to be said that this city will become a gas chamber.

For Dhaka’s people’s convenience, the city was divided into two parts, and two corporations formed. The overall responsibility of the town has been placed on the shoulders of the two mayors. When talking about the environment of Dhaka city, it is necessary to mention the city’s air and noise pollution. The car horn responsible for noise pollution and its black smoke for air pollution.

There are numerous industries in different areas of the city. And the noise that constantly generates from these factories is unbearable. The noise in these factories from morning till late at night has taken the city into huge noise pollution.

Physicians and environmentalists fear that noise pollution could lead to a gradual loss of hearing in the city.
Most of the vehicles plying in Dhaka city are very old and have serious mechanical defects. As a result, a lot of black smoke comes out of these vehicles.

There are many brick kilns on Dhaka city’s outskirts; smoke is emanating from these kilns every day. The smoke from these sources poses a serious threat to human health. As a result, the city dwellers are suffering from various diseases, including asthma and heart disease.

Especially children and adults are suffering the most from this. In Dhaka, air pollution is more in winter. Dust and sand fly from the dry sidewalks. This makes it impossible to move on the road. There are rivers on three sides of Dhaka city. It could have beautified the city and had a positive effect on the environment.

But unfortunately, the water of the rivers surrounding Dhaka is now so polluted that it is by no means possible to use it.

Fish and other aquatic animals cannot survive in these rivers. All the industrial wastes are being dumped in the river without any treatment, and as much polluted water used in the city has been connected to the river through drains.

Besides, the abandoned garbage of Dhaka city is dumped on all the roadsides. It spoils the beauty of the city, as well as causing serious air pollution. This causes the city’s air pollution.

This city was not developed in a planned manner. This is also an environmental problem. Countless people live in hundreds of slums in Dhaka. The lack of sanitation in these slums poses a threat to the environment.

At the same time, the water they use for food and cooking contaminates in many ways. Why only in slums, the water that WASA provides in the whole city is not good.

In the middle of every year, a huge amount of money is spent on tree planting in the country. But due to lack of care, most of these plants die or are eaten by cows and goats. It goes without saying that the vegetation in Dhaka city is so poor. The capital has now become a city of brick and stone.

There is almost no opportunity to plant trees.

But the environment of the area under Ramna police station is an example of how important and beneficial plants are for the environment. Ramna Park is the only park in Dhaka city. The Ramna area’s background is different from other places of the city for the vegetation of this park.

The air here is clear. There is a balance of daytime temperatures. The Ramna area receives relatively more rainfall during the rainy season each year.

This park is beneficial for the people of this area. Places to create a park similar to Ramna Park cannot be found in the city now. But if the city corporation plants trees in as many places as possible in different parts of the city, it will definitely positively impact the environment.

Miscreants occupied many canals in Dhaka city. These canals have filled, and various installations have been made. However, a positive step has already been taken by the City Corporations. They have to be thanked for taking steps to restore and repair these canals. If city leaders do not monitor the environment and take action, it will be suicidal for everyone.