PM wins Champions of the Earth Award

We congratulate the Prime Minister on winning the prestigious Champions of the Earth Award for her farsighted initiatives to address the challenges of climate change. In recognising the immediacy of taking decisive steps to combat the devastating effects of climate change on our increasingly vulnerable population, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been exemplary. Under her leadership, Bangladesh is the first developing country to frame a coordinated Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (2009) and the first nation to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund with a significant amount from domestic resources. During her watch the Constitution was amended to include a directive to protect the environment and natural resources. Her government is trying to set up new health services to deal with waterborne diseases as a result of floods, training communities about early warning systems and promoting climate-friendly agricultural technologies and renewable energy. 

While much has been achieved there is yet more to be done, and at such a moment of national pride we would like to take the opportunity to apprise the Prime Minister of an environmental concern that has been a subject of crusade for this paper: the need to save our rivers. This paper has been at the forefront in trying to stir up awareness regarding the importance of preserving our rivers that are lifelines of our cities, towns and villages. We therefore urge her to spearhead initiatives to prevent the unnatural death of our rivers and water bodies caused by  encroachment.