Brac, Mongla Port Municipality launch town development project
Development organisation Brac and Mongla Port Municipality jointly launched a project titled 'Building climate resilient migrant-friendly towns through locally-led adaptation in Bangladesh'.
The project inception meeting was held on Monday (5 September) at the Upazila Muktijoddha Complex in Mongla Port Municipality town, reads a press release.
The project will be implemented in a consortium of Brac , International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and technology service company Spark India.
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Brac will be in charge of its overall implementation, while ICCCAD and Spark India will be technical and knowledge partners.
Mongla Port Municipality will lead the implementation of the pilot in its township. The project has been undertaken with a view to strengthen the process of building climate-resilient migrant-friendly urban centres in Bangladesh.
The programme will be replicated in three more urban centres by 2026 and in 26 more such areas by 2030.
Addressing the programme as chief guest, Additional Secretary of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik said, "The district of Bagerhat, especially its Mongla upazila, gets special importance in the climate adaptation initiatives of the government. It's particularly so because the preservation and development of Sundarbans, a world heritage site situated in this region, means the development of the whole world."
Kamalesh Majumder, upazila nirbahi officer, said in his special guest's speech, "It is important to implement various projects by prioritising the needs of climate-vulnerable people. The main problem of Mongla city is the lack of safe drinking water. Increased salinity increased various health risks. It's urgent to identify and solve the main problems in a sustainable manner."
Bir Muktijodha Sheikh Abdur Rahman, mayor of Mongla Port Municipality, said that the coastal region especially Mongla Port Municipality is one of the most climate-vulnerable areas of Bangladesh.
"Ensuring safe water supply in this area is essential to combat climate risks. Also, sustainable measures should be undertaken to provide necessary facilities for climate migrants," he added.
Dr Md Liakath Ali, director of Climate Change Programme, Brac & Brac International, and Urban Development Programme, Brac, presided over the programme.
In his speech, Dr Liakath said this project is being implemented for the first time in Asia, funded by the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA).
"Climate change Programme and urban development Programme are closely related. The project will be worthwhile if the real needs of the climate migrants living in Mongla are identified and mitigated through appropriate measures," he added.
At the meeting, Brac Urban Development Programme's programme head Imamul Azam Shahi presented details about the project, while Climate Change Programme's programme head Abu Sadat Moniruzzaman Khan gave welcome speech.
SPARK India official Nihar Johori presented a brief on mobilisation model for the development of low-income communities at risk of climate change. Savio Rozario from ICCCAD spoke on vulnerability, risk assessment and climate adaptation planning processes.
Md Hafiz-al-Asad, additional deputy commissioner (revenue), Bagerhat, educationists, journalists and dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
The project will provide support to climate migrants especially women, children, youth and citizens with disabilities to enhance skills, job opportunities, income generation, financial inclusion and social security opportunities.
