The committee called for a nationwide list of legal and illegal kilns, greater use of construction blocks, and closer scrutiny of ministry spending and climate projects.
The first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad was held yesterday (9 september) at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with Committee Chairman and Jatiya Sangsad Whip Md GK Gaus in the chair.
Committee members and Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Abdul Awal Mintoo, State Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam, lawmakers Md Zahidul Islam Dhulu, Md Abdul Mannan and Sultana Jesmin attended the meeting, said a press release today.
At the outset, the meeting began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by an introductory session involving the committee chairman, members and senior officials of the ministry and the committee concerned.
The meeting held a comprehensive discussion on measures to control environmental pollution. Instructions were also given to exercise caution so that the environment is not harmed by any decision of the ministry.
The committee recommended stopping financing from Bangladesh Bank for illegal brick kilns.
In this context, it was decided that a letter would be sent to Bangladesh Bank by the committee.
The Department of Environment was instructed to prepare a list of all legal and illegal brick kilns across the country. The committee also recommended using blocks instead of bricks in government infrastructure projects under construction.
The ministry was instructed to present data and information on the 101 projects being implemented under the Climate Change Trust at the next meeting of the committee.
The meeting also sought information on how the funds allocated to the ministry had been spent over the past 16 years and called for working together to implement the election manifesto of the current government.
The meeting also reviewed in detail the spending plan for the budget allocated to the ministry for the current fiscal year.
The Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, additional secretaries, senior officials of the Forest Department and Department of Environment, and concerned senior officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were present at the meeting.
