‘High temperature is increasing the physical and mental illness of people. El Nino will keep coming and next year’s summer will be hotter than this year. We are planning to build city network and working on climate migration. We have to adapt as much as possible and find ways of mitigation. We need to be prepared to deal with this complex natural problem like climate change. Coordinated initiative can reduce the temperature in Dhaka city’. The above statement belongs to Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center Bangladesh Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afreen. She made this statement in a round table meeting titled “Rising Urban Temperature: Causes and Actions” arranged by Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) and Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) on yesterday 4th October at Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) conference hall in Dhaka.
Advocate Khodeja Nasreen Akhtar Hossain was present as the chief guest in the round table meeting presided over by Professor M. Shahidul Islam, Vice President of Bangladesh Environment Movement (Bapa) and Chairman of Department of Geography and Environment of Dhaka University. Director of Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) Pavel Partha presented the keynote speech chaired by Atmospheric Pollution Study Center (CAPS) Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar. Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center Bangladesh Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afrin and Emeritus Professor of Stamford University Bangladesh Feroz Ahmed were present as special guests.
Honourable Parliament Member Advocate Khodeza Nasreen Akhter Hossain applauded the organizer of the round table discussion of the crucial topic, and said that we all must work to protect the environment. For this, the public should come forward along with the government. Chairman of Department of Geography and Environment of Dhaka University Professor Dr. M. Shahidul Islam specified that all we can do at this point is adaptation. A factor playing a huge role is the capitalistic approach alongside population growth. We don’t have to plant trees but cutting them down needs to be stopped; we don’t need to create ponds, but filling the existing ones needs to be discouraged. In the keynote speech Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder mentioned that while there are many global factors contributing to rising temperatures, local factors are key. Therefore, local factors should be given priority in temperature regulation. the busiest areas, which will also reduce air pollution.
Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center Bangladesh Chief Heat Officer Bushra Afreen mentioned in her speech, high temperature is increasing the physical and mental illness of people. El Nino will keep coming and next year’s summer will be hotter than this year. We are planning to build city network and working on climate migration. We have to adapt as much as possible and find ways of mitigation. We need to be prepared to deal with this complex natural problem like climate change. Coordinated initiative can reduce the temperature in Dhaka city.
