Speaking at an Indigenous peoples’ conference in Malaysia, Parvez urged policymakers to treat local communities as partners in biodiversity protection, rights safeguards and youth leadership.
Dr Saimum Parvez has said biodiversity conservation is essential to protecting the land, livelihoods and culture of Indigenous and ethnic minority communities, as he represented Bangladesh at the 6th IKPA Conference in Sabah, Malaysia.
Dr Saimum Parvez made the remarks as a panellist at the “Dialogue with Governments & UN Agencies, Donors” session of the conference, organised by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact.
The session brought together government representatives, United Nations agencies, development partners and relevant stakeholders.
Parvez highlighted the rights of ethnic minority communities, the need to conserve biodiversity in the areas where they live, the importance of their effective participation in policymaking and the need to develop young leadership.
He said protecting biodiversity in the areas inhabited by ethnic minority communities was not only an environmental responsibility. It was deeply connected to their land, livelihoods, culture, social dignity and the security of future generations.
For that reason, he said, it was essential to ensure the experience, opinions and active participation of the communities concerned in any plan or decision related to biodiversity conservation.
Parvez said communities that have long lived in close connection with nature and biodiversity have their own knowledge, experience and cultural practices, which must be given due importance.
Without their participation, he said, no biodiversity conservation initiative could be effective and sustainable in the long term.
Parvez said the BNP government was committed to taking effective steps to ensure the views and active participation of relevant communities in biodiversity protection, safeguard their rights and dignity and create opportunities for leadership development among the new generation.
Local communities, he said, should not be considered merely as beneficiaries of development activities, but as important partners in planning and implementation.
“‘Bangladesh first’ means moving forward together with every citizen of Bangladesh, regardless of ethnicity, religion, caste, language or cultural identity. It is not possible to build an inclusive, just and prosperous Bangladesh while leaving anyone behind,” he said.
He said the philosophy of “Bangladesh first” placed equal dignity, rights and participation for every citizen at its centre.
Bangladesh’s diverse ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities are part of the country’s collective strength, he said. National unity must be strengthened further by respecting and preserving this diversity.
Parvez expressed hope that every community’s own land and biodiversity would remain protected, while their roots, language, culture, heritage and distinct identity would also be preserved with due dignity.
A safe, dignified and prosperous Bangladesh for all could be built through mutual respect, justice and a participatory state system, he said.
