Turning down the recent study report on climate projects prepared by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Environment and Forests Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said the graft watchdog came up with the report to deliberately undermine his ministry’s successes.
“The TIB report has shown that much of the climate fund (about 32 percent) is allocated for the Local Government, Rural development and Cooperatives Ministry. But, the fact is that the highest allocation from the fund (Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund-BCCTF) has gone to the Water Resources Ministry,” he told a discussion on Thursday.
Hasan Mahmud said, “As a matter of fact, there has been no study. It (TIB) published the report intentionally …if someone conducts research with an ill-intention, it hampers the ongoing activities.”
The Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) and Bangladesh Climate Change Journalists Forum (BCCJF) jointly organised the discussion, titled ‘World Climate Summit (COP-19) and Preparation of Bangladesh’, at IDEB Bhaban in the city.
On October 3 last,the TIB, the local chapter of Berlin-based graft watchdog, unveiled a research report on ‘Climate Financing in Bangladesh: Challenges of Good Governance and Way Forward’ at a press conference in the city.
The report says a significant part of the fund (about 32 percent) is allocated for the Local Government, Rural development and Cooperatives Ministry while 23.31 percent for the Power and Mineral Resources Ministry, 12.73 percent for Water Resources Ministry and about 11.55 percent for the Ministry of Environment and Forests to implement climate projects.
The government has undertaken a total of 139 climate projects involving US$ 340 million from the BCCTF to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.
The report says although Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat (three coastal districts) are the most vulnerable to climate change as per the risk map of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) 2009, only 6.5 percent and 1.2 percent of total disbursement of the BCCTF allocated for Khulna and Satkhira respectively. However, no allocation has gone to Bagerhat so far from the fund.
Criticising the TIB report, Hasan Madmud said only one percent of the allocation released from BCCTF has gone to non-government organistions (NGOs), but this issue is being highlighted.
“No project is taken on political consideration. Although I came from Chittagong, no project has been taken for my constituency,” he said.
Chaired by IDEB president AKMA Hamid, the discussion was addressed, among others, by coordinator of Bangladesh Climate Change Negotiation Team Prof Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, managing director of Climate Change Trust Didarul Ahsan, researcher of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Assaduzzaman and BCJF president Kawsar Rahman.
Source: UNB Connect