Urban afforestation project to reduce Dhaka’s temperature: Saber Hossain

Online Desk

Urban afforestation project will be implemented in Dhaka to keep the temperature tolerable, said Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury.

“To keep the environment of a city good, certain amount of greenery is needed, so to keep the temperature bearable, the urban afforestation project will be implemented in Dhaka,” he said.

The minister was addressing as the chief guest the launching ceremony of the Climate Action Plan of Dhaka North and South City Corporations held at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban at Dhaka University on Sunday.

Special satellite image is being prepared for Dhaka, through which it will be determined where trees are need to be planted, he said.

“The Climate Action Plan will play an important role in building a clean, green and vibrant Dhaka. Although Dhaka has two city corporations, this action plan will be implemented as one Dhaka,” he added.

The announcement of One Dhaka by the two city corporations of Dhaka is timely to reduce the impact of climate change in the city of 20 million people, said the minister.

Coordination between ministries will be increased to deal with climate change, he said.

Saber said Dhaka embarks on its transformative journey towards environmental sustainability through the launching of the Climate Action Plan(CAP).

Through collaborative efforts the CAP seeks to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change while fostering resilience and enhancing the quality of life for Dhaka's residents, he added.

Meanwhile, the minister urged Bangladesh's development partner countries to stand by Bangladesh in dealing with climate change.

The Launching Ceremony brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, environmental experts, academia, and representatives from civil society, to celebrate the unveiling of the CAP and chart a course for collaborative action towards a sustainable and climate-resilient Dhaka.

The event also saw the deliberations of the distinguished guests, including Prof. Dr. ASM Maksud Kamal ,Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University; Matt Cannell, Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission, in Dhaka; Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities; Md. Atiqul Islam, Mayor, Dhaka North City Corporation and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Mayor, Dhaka South City Corporation. Jayeda Khatun, Mayor, Gazipur City Corporation also present on the occasion.

Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque