A balance between environment, industrialisation a must for sustainable development

Sustainable development requires maintaining a balance between the environment and industrialisation, analysts said today at a workshop at the Westin Dhaka in the capital.

All stakeholders should come forward to tackle the climate crisis, they said.

They made the comments at a workshop styled "Natural Resources Conservation in Bangladesh: Scope of Private Sector Engagement" organised by the Arannayk Foundation. 

The workshop is organised under United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Green Life Project.

The development of the private sector has reduced the country's dependence on foreign assistance, said Muhammad Khan, director of the economic growth office at USAID Bangladesh.

Forest degradation is at the centre of water, air and soil pollution and many other environmental crises, he said.

If forests can be preserved, most of the problems will be solved, he said.

Shahidullah Azim, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said BGMEA as a responsible trade body is implementing four Rs concept of reuse, reduce, recycle, recover.

Almost every year a quarter of the country is flooded due to natural disasters and it will not be possible to maintain the country's economic progress if the extent and severity of this disasters are not reduced, said Masud Alam Khan, head of programmes of Arannayk Foundation.

Shamima Akhter, director for corporate affairs, partnerships and communications at Unilever Bangladesh Limited, said there are no other incentives for eco-friendly production.

She urged the government to formulate policies to support the production of environment-friendly products.