LEDARS organized a press conference on 29 October 2024, at the National Press Club demanding coordinated action for the neglected southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh—a climate hotspot facing severe challenges. Bangladesh is one of the climate vulnerable countries of the world. And the southwest coastal region is the climate hotspot of the country. Farmers cannot cultivate due to salinity increase, sea level rise, frequent tidal surge. Drinking water is severe scare in this area. Livelihoods is challenging here for the fragile ecosystems. Health hazard is increasing in the coastal area so fast. People are facing huge loss and damage for frequent disasters. People of coastal area migrating for better livelihood what has reflected in the national population census.
Even 53 years after independence, the people of the southwestern coast remain deprived in every sector. Despite this region’s significant contribution to the national economy, it has been met with extreme neglect. Although frequently impacted by climate disasters, the region has received very limited allocations from climate funds. Adequate measures to find permanent solutions for the problems in this area have yet to be implemented. The coastal population continues to live in the same distressed conditions year after year. Effective plans and initiatives are needed to address the coastal crisis and secure the people’s rights to livelihood, security, and development. For over a decade, affected coastal communities and representatives from civil society have repeatedly appealed to the government. Yet, despite a third of the nation’s population living in severe crisis, there has been little intervention. Currently, representatives from affected communities, environmental activists, and civil society leaders have submitted a 14-point demand to the interim government of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement for comprehensive protection of the coast. Following are the key demands:
- Formation of a Southwestern Coastal Development Board to enable holistic and sustainable development in coastal areas and facilitate inter-ministerial coordination.
- Reconstruction of durable embankments to withstand climate change and disaster impacts.
- Creation of sufficient shelters in coastal areas. Under long-term plans, a ‘One House, One Shelter’ initiative should be adopted to make each household disaster-resilient.
- To secure safe drinking water, rainwater harvesting systems must be established and surface water utilization promoted.
- All government-owned ponds, reservoirs, and canals in coastal areas should be freed from encroachments, excavated, and preserved for drinking water allocation.
- A governing institution for rivers must be clearly defined, and rivers should be demarcated and dredged according to cadastral records to eliminate illegal encroachment.
- Incentives should be provided for salt-, drought-, and flood-resistant agriculture in coastal areas.
- Effective implementation of policies for biodiversity conservation in the Sundarbans is essential.
- To protect the environment, prevent riverbank erosion, and retain carbon, afforestation should be initiated on river chars with local community participation.
- Restricting access to the Sundarbans should not occur without providing alternative livelihoods for dependent communities.
- Shrimp and crab farming within polder embankments should be limited; new agricultural lands should not be converted for shrimp or crab farming, and zoning should be enforced for these activities, prohibiting shrimp farming within 100 meters inside embankments.
- Tidal River Management (TRM) should be gradually implemented across all river basins in the southwestern coast to reclaim islands, farmland, and raise land levels.
- TRM activities should begin at least two years before the end of one project term, and compensation should be provided in advance under simple conditions for landowners affected by TRM.
- Climate fund allocations should prioritize coastal communities, and transparency and accountability must be ensured in fund management.
This 14-point demand reflects a comprehensive approach to safeguarding coastal areas and improving the quality of life for the residents who face persistent adversity.
