BAPA warns political influence drives environmental destruction in Bangladesh, urging parties ahead of elections to commit to air pollution control, river protection, climate action and a just transition for citizens.
Bangladesh’s leading environmental advocacy group, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), has warned that political involvement has been evident in nearly every major case of environmental destruction across the country and called on political parties and election candidates to make clear and binding commitments to protect the environment ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election.
The call was made at a press conference titled Appeal to Political Parties to Protect Bangladesh’s Environment Ahead of the Election held on Saturday at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium in Segunbagicha. The event was jointly organised by BAPA and the Bangladesh Environmental Network (BEN), a platform of Bangladeshi environmentalists living abroad.
Presiding over the event, BAPA President Professor Nur Mohammad Talukder criticised the interim government for failing to initiate meaningful reforms in the environmental sector despite undertaking reforms in other areas. He said environment, education and health, three critical sectors, continue to suffer from inadequate budget allocations and a lack of long-term planning, warning that future generations are being neglected.
The keynote address was delivered by BAPA Vice President Professor Nazrul Islam, who highlighted that despite rising per capita income, recent studies indicate a decline in average life expectancy in Bangladesh, largely due to air pollution and environmental degradation. He cautioned that without urgent corrective action, the country faces a deepening public health and environmental crisis.
Moderating the press conference, BAPA General Secretary Md Alamgir Kabir presented recommendations from the 26th BAPA-BEN conference held earlier this month, calling for immediate action on air pollution control, solid waste management, prevention of river encroachment, protection of coastal and forest ecosystems, reduction of urban waterlogging and planned urbanisation.
BAPA Vice President Zakir Hossain said evidence of political involvement was present wherever environmental destruction had occurred in Bangladesh, calling on both political parties and the government to clarify their positions on environmental governance. Another vice president, Mahidul Haque Khan, also spoke at the event.
Environmental advocates warned that without strong political accountability and public pressure, environmental degradation will continue to undermine public health, livelihoods and sustainable development in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.
Commenting on the broader political context, Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global, urged political parties to place the climate crisis at the centre of their election manifestos.
“Climate action cannot remain a side issue in political discourse,” he said to The Climate Watch. “Political parties must commit to a just transition that protects workers, frontline communities and young people while moving away from fossil fuel dependence and environmentally destructive development.”
Sohanur added that a just transition in Bangladesh must prioritise decent green jobs, social protection, locally-led adaptation and accountability for environmental harm, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions.
