Bangladesh’s proposed budget gives climate, forests, pollution control and renewable energy greater attention, but weak financing, enforcement and accountability may decide whether green promises become real progress.
The impact of climate change, pollution and environmental degradation on the daily lives of people in Bangladesh is now clear. Therefore, the national budget is no longer just a calculation of income and expenditure. It is also a measure of how well the country’s development plans align with climate and environmental realities.
Several important initiatives have been proposed in the 2026-27 budget for climate action and environmental protection. Issues such as afforestation, coastal protection, air quality monitoring, river restoration, waste management and renewable energy have gained greater importance in the budget. This is a positive development.
The finance minister has proposed an allocation of Tk 2,240 crore for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The budget also includes a plan to plant 250 million trees over the next five years. This includes restoring degraded forests, carrying out mangrove afforestation in coastal char areas, promoting agroforestry and planting trees in urban areas. The government says about 350,000 green jobs can be created through these initiatives.
These plans are important because Bangladesh is already facing heatwaves, irregular rainfall, river erosion, salinity intrusion, cyclones and air pollution. Therefore, planting trees, protecting forests and investing in nature-based solutions are essential not only for the environment but also for people’s lives and the economy.
The budget also mentions the “One Child, One Tree” programme. Under this initiative, there is a plan to plant one crore trees in the homes of government primary school students. This could help build environmental awareness among children from an early age. However, planting trees alone is not enough. Regular monitoring is needed to ensure the trees survive. The proposed use of GPS, GIS and mobile applications could be helpful in this regard.
The budget also includes plans for carbon trading. The government wants to bring 50 percent of coastal mangrove forests under carbon trading schemes. It has also announced plans to implement 11 new carbon trading projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
However, caution is needed. Bangladesh must develop strong policies before entering carbon markets. If carbon projects involve forests, mangroves or community lands, they must ensure transparent accounting, independent verification, environmental integrity and fair benefits for local communities. Otherwise, carbon trading could create the risk of a new form of greenwashing.
The budget also gives importance to pollution control. It proposes setting up additional air quality monitoring stations, establishing modern vehicle testing centres, introducing electric buses, monitoring emissions from industrial chimneys and updating guidelines for e-waste management.
Air pollution is now a major public health challenge in cities such as Dhaka and Chattogram. Therefore, these initiatives are timely. However, monitoring air quality alone will not clean the air. Strict action is needed against brick kilns, unfit vehicles, construction dust, open waste burning and industrial pollution. Air quality data should also be published regularly for public access.
The budget includes several initiatives on waste management. The government says plastic waste will be reduced by 30 percent over the next five years through the 3R approach: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It has also announced plans to ban 17 types of single-use plastic products.
However, Bangladesh has imposed similar bans before with limited enforcement. This time, it is important not only to make announcements but also to strengthen monitoring, expand the availability of alternative products and enhance the capacity of municipalities and city corporations.
In terms of climate adaptation, the budget highlights salinity control, canal excavation in southern regions, safe water supply in coastal areas, sustainable embankments, riverbank protection, cyclone shelters and salinity-tolerant agriculture. These initiatives are highly important for coastal communities.
Coastal people are already facing water shortages, crop losses, cyclones, river erosion and displacement. Therefore, greater allocations are needed to directly support local adaptation efforts.
However, the proposed allocation of Tk 100 crore for the Climate Change Trust Fund appears small compared with the scale of climate risks. Larger, more targeted and accountable financing is required. Information on how the fund is being used, which projects are receiving support and how vulnerable communities are benefiting should be made publicly available.
The budget also includes positive measures for renewable energy. Tax exemptions for solar power and duty relief on essential equipment are welcome initiatives. However, much of the power sector remains focused on fossil fuel-based infrastructure. Allocations for renewable energy are still insufficient.
This remains a major weakness. If Bangladesh genuinely wants to address climate change, it needs substantial investments in rooftop solar systems, solar-powered irrigation, energy storage technologies, grid modernisation and solar energy use in government buildings.
Five additional issues deserve greater attention in the budget.
First, the outcomes of climate finance should be measured and disclosed. Information on how much land has been restored, how many families have been protected, how much pollution has been reduced and how many people have gained access to safe water should be publicly available.
Second, greater resources should be allocated for climate adaptation at the union, municipality and city corporation levels because climate impacts are felt most directly by local communities.
Third, investment in renewable energy should be increased within the power sector.
Fourth, pollution control requires stronger law enforcement, not just monitoring. Polluters should face penalties and be held accountable.
Fifth, social protection for climate-affected people should be expanded. Families affected by floods, cyclones, river erosion and salinity need cash assistance, livelihood restoration support, insurance coverage and rehabilitation programmes.
Overall, the proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year shows that Bangladesh is beginning to treat climate change as a central development challenge. This is encouraging. However, the real test will be implementation.
The number of green promises in the budget is not the most important issue. What matters is whether the allocated funds help protect people, restore rivers, canals and forests, reduce pollution and move the country away from dependence on fossil fuels.
For a climate-vulnerable country like Bangladesh, a green budget cannot be merely symbolic. It must be practical, transparent, measurable and accountable.
