Bangladesh is undertaking administrative and legal reforms, but meaningful transformation will require time, persistence and political continuity, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said.
“We are working to reform both the administration and the legal framework. But when a country ranks 179 out of 180 in environmental performance, it cannot jump to 50th place within a year,” she said today (10 December) at the biennial general meeting of Friends of the Earth International at BRAC CDM in Savar.
Rizwana noted that if Bangladesh stays on course for five to seven years and climbs even to around the 73rd position, an elected government will find it easier to push the transition further.
“Change does not happen overnight,” she said.
The environment adviser also said the current administration inherited a system that had “almost collapsed” and was neither responsive nor functional.
“Our first task was to make it minimally functional, and then initiate change. We have only started that journey and are still far from completion,” she said.
“But crucial steps have been taken, and the process must continue beyond this interim period,” she added.
On accountability, she stressed that ensuring justice for victims of political violence remains an immediate priority.
Rizwana said that the upcoming election is critical to the transition.
“The election will be held in February. We are confident that people from all walks of life will participate,” she said.
Referring to legislative progress, the adviser highlighted the passage of two key forest laws that prohibit further intervention in natural forests and recognise forest-dependent communities as custodians of ecosystems.
“We expect to pass a wetland protection law soon,” she added.
Turning to current environmental realities, she pointed out that Savar, where the meeting is taking place, has already been declared a degraded zone.
“Bangladesh has long topped global air pollution rankings. This cannot be reversed within a year, yet corrective actions have begun,” she said, adding that degraded zones are being prioritised for restoration.
She told participants that brick kilns responsible for pollution in the area are being relocated following completion of legal and administrative procedures.
“Workers will not lose their jobs; they will shift to agriculture-linked work at designated sites,” she assured.
Rizwana said Bangladesh is no longer at the bottom of environmental performance indices, largely due to improvements in urban conditions and increased transparency across government systems.
“Communication between government and citizens has improved, access to information has expanded, and there is now greater participation and freedom of expression,” she said.
A total of 85 delegates from 62 countries are attending the eleven-day international conference.