Sustainable development is essential to meet the challenges of climate change
A conference was held in Dhaka at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center. It was part of the ‘Improving the Quality of Life of the Urban Poor Project’ by the Department of Local Government, Bangladesh, the UK Government, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The goal of the conference was to work on sustainable urban policies to tackle the impacts of climate change.
The call was made on the first day of the two-day ‘Urban Resilience Forum’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka on June 22, 2024.
Tajul Islam, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD), Bangladesh, spoke at the opening session as the chief guest.
He said the government has created plans like the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, and has completed the National Urban Policy to make Bangladesh stable and promote climate-friendly development.
“The Bangladesh government is now focusing on building sustainable cities and towns.”
“Affordable housing and addressing homelessness due to climate change are of immense importance,” said Stefan Liller, UNDP’s Resident Representative. “It is very important to work together from the grassroots to the top to achieve this goal,” he added.
Bangladesh needs a well-defined urban policy to support its planned development and promote sustainable urban growth that takes into account climate concerns. UNDP is committed to continuing technical cooperation to ensure sustainable development.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook praised the country’s success in reducing extreme poverty amid rapid urbanization in Bangladesh. However, he noted that cities are still struggling to meet these challenges.
The Urban Resilience Forum is an important event for the government of Bangladesh and its partners to promote inclusive climate-smart urban development.
Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, Secretary
of LGRD, Bangladesh, presided over the session and Md Masum Patwari, Joint Secretary of Local Government Department (LGD) delivered the welcome speech.
Earlier, Professor Akhtar Mahmud, Jahangirnagar University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department, presented the keynote.
Key partners, academics, civil society, and development partners from the local, regional, and national levels of the Government of Bangladesh attended the two-day conference.
