Barciknews desk
‘We live in huts, we get wet during rain and blisters during the heat. Everywhere is rotten garbage! And what we earn is spent for rent and medicine. Our hardship thus knows no bounds. We did not come to live in slum areas at our will. We are people who have been displaced due to riverbank erosion. Our sufferings are not getting over.’
Shefali Akhter resident of Mohammadpur Jhilpar slum made this above statement in a dialogue organized jointly by BARCIK, Poba and Cup at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia (VIP) auditorium of National Press Club Dhaka yesterday. Besides Shefali Akter, slum rights activists Hosne Ara Begum Rafeza, Pranakamal Sarkar and Tania Begum also spoke about the various crises, sufferings and solutions for the slum dwellers who have been displaced due to climate change.
While addressing the dialogue, architect Shamsul Waresh said, ‘We need humanitarian planning and efficient leadership for a habitable city and a secure future for today’s urban poor who are homeless due to climate change.” He went on saying, ‘Initiatives need to be taken address the problems of the people so that because of climate change, no one lose everything. People are being treated unfairly in the name of climate change. We have to protest against this injustice.’
Abu Naser Khan, a prominent environmentalist and chairman of Poba said, ‘The basic civil rights of all urban poor in the country, including Dhaka, must be ensured. Planned waste management and initiative to recycle the waste into resource should be adopted. Urban slums and urban poor should be included in the planned urban agriculture as well. Urban and poor communities can play a role in producing safe, non-toxic food.’
Abdus Sobhan, a former Additional Director General of the Environment Department, said, ‘Rich countries must stop emitting carbon because we are not responsible for climate change. People of country like Bangladesh are facing problems and being displaced for the unplanned carbon emission of the rich country. In order to ease the problems of the poor, who are not responsible in rapid climate change, these people need to have access to climate fund. Besides, funds are needed to create a livable environment for urban slum dwellers, to create the right adaptation program.’
Urban researcher and BARCIK’s official Jahangir Alam said in the concept paper, ‘It is important to increase the awareness and skills of the urban poor and ensure their access to all kinds of government services, facilities and co-operation.’ He asserts ‘In addition, it is important to support useful adaptation initiatives, including planned housing for the urban poor, waste management, safe employment based on cottage industries, and ensuring education and healthcare.’
It is to mention that the dialogue was escorted by distinguished Architect Shassul Wares, Co-President of Coalition for the Urban Poor (KAP) Md. Mahbubul Haque, Chief Architect of BUET Urban and Regional Planning Department Mosleh Uddin, Khandaker, executive director of CUP Rebecca San Yat, eminent writer and researcher Pavel Pertha, General Secretary of Civil Rights Protection Forum (NASF) Md. Tayyab Ali, General Secretary of Bangladesh Green Roof Movement Engineer Md. Golam Haider and BARCIK’s Ferdous Ahmed Ujjal.
