Climate change triggers disasters in Barind tract

Adverse impacts of climate change have triggered recurrence of natural calamities in the high Barind tract posing a serious threat to the overall farming system as well as the living conditions of people there, said speakers at a discussion.

As consequences of the climate change, various unusual circumstances, particularly drought, dust storms due to desertification, eroding landscapes, less crop growth due to lack of water for irrigation, and malnutrition, are being observed, they viewed.

Time-fitting measures need to be adopted urgently to boost agricultural productions for ensuring food security amid adverse impacts of climate changes.

The observations came at a daylong workshop styled "Impact of Climate Change in Bangladesh: Expectations and Demands of affected Community from Paris Climate Conference" held at a hotel in Rajshahi city  on Thursday.

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) organised the workshop in association with European Union and the French embassy in Bangladesh.

During his keynote presentation, Golam Rabbani, research fellow at BCAS, said Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. "Our traditional transplanted Aman cultivation was completely reliant on rainfall. But the cultivation has become irrigation dependent at present because of rainfall scarcity," he added.

The developed countries should extend cooperation towards successful implementation of Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, the keynote speaker added.

Prof Akhtar Hossain and Prof Redwanur Rahman from Rajshahi University, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board Harun-Or Rashid and development activist Alima Khatun addressed the programme, among others.

The discussants mentioned that a large number of water bodies and wetlands have become derelict in the region due to lack of adequate rainfall posing a serious threat to the biodiversity, especially the livelihood of the poor and marginal people, of the area.

The existing agricultural system has started facing a serious threat because of the climate change. So, there is no alternative to adopting a comprehensive measure to face climatic change and its adverse impacts, the speakers said.