Advisor urges long-term political commitment as Dhaka seeks sustained progress
A new CLEAN report warns that Japan-backed plans for Bangladesh’s Moheshkhali-Matarbari region risk unconstitutional governance, LNG-driven economic burdens, severe environmental damage and mass displacement, urging authorities to cancel fossil-fuel projects and prioritise renewable, rights-based development
Bangladesh has begun administrative and legal reforms to strengthen environmental governance, but meaningful improvement will require time, continuity and political resolve, Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Biennial General Meeting of Friends of the Earth International at BRAC CDM in Savar, Hasan said the country is working to overhaul both its bureaucracy and legal framework. She cautioned, however, that progress will not be immediate.
“When a country ranks 179 out of 180 in environmental performance, it does not rise to 50th place in a single year. That does not happen overnight,” she said. She added that if Bangladesh maintains steady efforts for five to seven years and moves to around 73rd place, future elected governments will find it easier to advance the process.
Hasan said the current administration inherited a system she described as nearly collapsed, one that was neither responsive nor operational. “Our first challenge was to make it minimally functional and then initiate change. We have only begun that journey and are far from completion. But crucial steps have been taken, and these must continue beyond this interim period,” she said.
Addressing accountability and governance, the Advisor said ensuring justice for victims of political violence remains an immediate priority. She noted that the upcoming election, scheduled for February, is central to Bangladesh’s transition and expressed confidence that voters from all sectors of society would participate.
Highlighting recent legislative achievements, Hasan pointed to the passage of two new forest laws that bar further intervention in natural forests and recognise forest-dependent communities as custodians of ecosystems. She said a wetland protection law is also expected to be passed soon.
Turning to environmental conditions, she noted that Savar, the site of the conference, has been declared a degraded zone. Bangladesh has long remained at the top of global rankings on air pollution. This cannot be reversed in a year, yet corrective processes have already started, she said, adding that degraded zones are now being targeted for restoration.
Hasan said brick manufacturing units responsible for pollution in the area are being relocated following legal and administrative procedures. She assured delegates that workers would not lose employment and would transition to agriculture-linked work at designated sites.
She concluded by noting that Bangladesh is no longer at the bottom of global environmental performance indices, crediting improvements in urban conditions and increased transparency in government systems. “Communication between government and citizens has increased, access to information has expanded, and there is now broader participation and freedom of expression,” she said.
A total of 85 delegates from 62 countries are attending the eleven-day international conference.
