Greater regional cooperation based on science, technology and engineering expertise is essential to address the shared climate risks facing South Asia, Environment, Forest and Climate Change State Minister Shaikh Faridul Islam has said.
He made the remarks at a policy dialogue titled “Co-Design the Future of South Asian Climate Diplomacy,” organized by South Asia Regional Climate Cooperation (SARCC) at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka on Monday.
The state minister said climate change does not respect national borders, making regional coordination crucial to addressing common environmental challenges.
He said the government has undertaken various initiatives to reduce climate vulnerability, including a program to plant 250 million trees and technology-based engineering measures to control pollution.
Highlighting the need to restore Dhaka’s rivers, he said an integrated master plan has been prepared to control pollution in the rivers surrounding the capital.
“Engineering-based drainage systems and stronger monitoring mechanisms are being implemented to stop pollution at its sources, particularly in the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag and Balu rivers,” he said.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister’s Office on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Md Saimum Parvez stressed the need to make SAARC and BIMSTEC more effective platforms for addressing transboundary climate and environmental challenges.
“Political commitment and technology transfer are crucial to preventing and managing transboundary natural disasters,” he said.
He called for stronger cooperation among South Asian countries in climate data sharing, disaster preparedness, early warning systems and adaptation technologies.
Professor Dr AKM Saiful Islam of the Institute of Water and Flood Management at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology presented the keynote technical paper.
He said climate change was no longer a future threat but a present development reality for South Asia.
“Heatwaves, flash floods, tropical cyclones, droughts, erratic rainfall, glacier melt and sea-level rise do not recognize geographical boundaries,” he said.
He stressed coordinated regional initiatives based on shared hydrological and meteorological data, saying timely information exchange on river flows, rainfall, floods, cyclones and other climate indicators could strengthen disaster preparedness and reduce losses.
Speakers said South Asian countries face increasingly interconnected risks to water, food security, agriculture, public health and livelihoods. They called for coordinated regional programs in river basin management, pollution control, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
They also emphasized stronger cooperation among universities, research institutions, engineers, policymakers and civil society, with SAARC and BIMSTEC playing a greater role in joint research, technical cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Special guests included Jamail Bashir JB, member and technical expert of the National Tree Plantation Cell; Sharif Jamil, secretary general of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon; Ziaul Haque, coordinator of the Least Developed Countries negotiating group; and climate negotiator M Hafizul Islam Khan.
Senior journalist Habib Rahman delivered the opening remarks. Other participants included representatives from the Human Safety Foundation, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, CCD B, IUCN Bangladesh, Helvetas Bangladesh, BRAC University, CAPS, YPSA and Unnayan Onneshan.
They stressed that stronger regional engineering cooperation, backed by political commitment and reliable climate data, would be critical to building a climate-resilient South Asia.