Representatives from six countries voiced their solidarity with the demands of climate victims of the coast of Bangladesh in a massive climate strike organized on the fragile embankment area of Kholpetua River. Hundreds of youths sink in the water of Durgabati village of Shyamnagar in Satkhira and roared, why are we sinking for you? ‘We don’t want to drown anymore’. BARCIK (Banglaesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge), a non-government development research organization, a couple of youth organizations and community groups of Shyamnagar organizing a ‘9 days long climate campaign’ demanding climate justice for all.
The climate victims demanded that “no more blah blah, stop the cruel game of false solution” in the upcoming COP-28 in Dubai. They demanded to create the global climate funds and also allocate the funds for loss and damage. The youths from 12 Unions of the Shyamnagar upazila came to Durgabati village by a climate-marathon, and organized climate strike and demanded to stop carbon emissions to the big carbon emitters’ countries through banners, posters, festoons and slogans.
The youth performed a street play on disaster preparedness to aware the mass people and handed over a memorandum for climate justice for the coastal people to the Honorable Member of Parliament for Satkhira-4 constituency SM Jaglul Haider. The representatives of Union Parishad and the community leaders were presented in the program.
Under the conduction of BARCIK Researcher Pavel Partha, Brazil and Sweden representatives Priscilla Cubo, Somalia’s Mohamed Aidarus Mohamud and Siyad Adan Mohamed, Kenya’s Jimmy Carter Otieno Gor, Sri Lanka’s Kumudhu Sumangalie Atulugama, Bolivia’s Ariel Marcelo Chavez Benavides wrote posters in their native languages and they expressed solidarity with the demands for the coastal people. They claimed the rich and developed countries to stand by the coastal vulnerable people to increase their resilience capacity having with sustainable dams and embankment, locally led climate adaptation, ensure global climate funds and capacity building of local communities. Diakonia Bangladesh representative’s Morjina Khatun and Mazharul Islam, BARCIK executive director Sukanta Sen, urban researcher Zahangir Alam, Farmer Leader Sheikh Sirajul Islam, Bangabandhu Medalist farmer Alpana Rani, breeder of Charulata Paddy Dilip Tarafder, forest depended women leader Shefali Bibi also participated.
BARCIK Representatives Ramkrishna Joarder, Protima Rani, Rubina haque,Monika paik, Barsa Gain, Champa Mollick, Bablu Joarder, Mofizur rahman, Gazi Al Imran, Biswajit Kumar Mondal, Lipika Gain, were participated in the program. The people including youth climate organizers Raisul Islam, Anisur Rahman Milon and Saidul Islam spoke in solidarity program. This program was held on 29 September, 2023 which created difference due to demand climate justice for the coastal distressed people by the representatives of seven countries including Bangladesh.
