The costal people along with CSO are working together to address the climate change vulnerability by motivating the government authorities for southwest costal people since long. With a view to raise the concern through the media the Satkhira District Climate Advocacy Forum claimed 10 demands focusing to declare the south-west coastal area as a Climate Hotspot and forming a Coastal Development Board to improve the safety and quality of life and property of the coastal area. Satkhira District Climate Advocacy Forum and Shyamnagar Upazila Climate Advocacy Forum under the technical support of LEDARS conducted a press conference demanding the 10 demands at Muktijoddha Complex, Shyamnagar Upazila on 8 April 2021, financed by Bread for the World. The press conference was presided over by freedom fighter Master Nazrul Islam, President of Shyamnagar Upazila Climate Advocacy Forum. Convener of Satkhira District Nagorik Committee, Member Secretary of Satkhira District Climate Advocacy Forum, Upazila Advocacy Forum, Mr. Mohan Kumar Mondal, Executive Director of LEDARS, and the representatives of Shyamnagar Upazila Press Club, Reporters Club, Online News Club and Sundarban Press Club were also present in the occasion.
In the press conference it has been raised that coastal areas have become uninhabitable due to climate change, frequent natural disasters, drinking water crisis and salinity etc. Due to lack of sustainable embankments, every year embankments are broken and huge areas are flooded and loss of life and property is caused in some coastal areas. There are plans, there are budgets, but there are no sustainable strong embankments. In previous years in February and March there has not been seen high tide pressure, but recently high tide in March has broken the southwest coastal embankment and salinity water flow towards community created serious crises in the sector of livelihood, resources, food, water and shelter. The monsoon season is coming. Due to the high tide now, there are huge possibilities to break the embankment and flood again. The chair of the Press Conference Mr. Master Nazrul Islam said that “the people of the coast remain afraid and always think when the embankment will break and become flooded the area. The only demand of these coastal people is to protect them with sustainable embankments”
