Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Monday said climate change is receiving more words than action while Bangladesh is struggling to secure the funds it needs to tackle the crisis.
“Bangladesh needs around $30 billion to effectively combat climate-induced disasters but when it comes to securing even $1–1.5 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we face tremendous hurdles,” he said.
Dr Salehuddin made the remarks while inaugurating a three-day training workshop on “Navigating Climate Finance: Media Reporting”, jointly organized by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the Economic Relations Division (ERD) in Dhaka.
The adviser stressed that climate crisis management needs coordinated efforts from five key actors—scientists, policymakers, institutions, financiers, and the general public.
“When a fire breaks out, it is often ordinary people who respond before firefighters arrive. Bangladesh has shown leadership in disaster response but greater awareness is essential to scale up action,” he said.
ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky underlined the need to highlight Bangladesh’s climate damages to secure access to global funds.
“We try to mobilize resources from climate funds but our stories of damages and vulnerabilities must reach international platforms—and here the role of journalists is crucial,” he said.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam pointed to dengue outbreaks, rising floods in Sylhet, and maternal mortality as climate-linked impacts that are not being effectively communicated to the global community.
“Without telling these stories properly we cannot build strong cases for financing,” he added.
PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan presided over the event, where 60 journalists from various media outlets are participating in the training aimed at enhancing climate reporting.