Environment polluters are enemies of country and people: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud Friday said those who are making damages to environment for personal interests are enemies of the country and the people.

"United resistance should be built against environment polluters," he told a seminar titled "Let us make the ecology safe to protect the earth" arranged by AL sub-committee on forest and environment at CIRDAP auditorium here.

Dr Hasan said: "We are making damages to environment. Even after that the environment stays kind to us. We are enriched with ecological diversity."

"Those are making damages to environment for personal interests and those industrialists don't keep the matter of environmental pollution in mind rather make damages and kill rivers, they are enemies of environment," he said.

The average global temperature on Earth has increased by at least 1o Celsius after the industrial revolution and that is why sea level rose and different ecological imbalance including salinity occurred, he mentioned.

The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (a global partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change), always played active role in the world to this end.

He said Bangladesh played a pioneering role in formulating strategy and actions plans in facing the impacts of climate change. Many countries including the United States have learnt from Bangladesh's action plans, he said.

For these reasons, Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won Champions of the Earth Award, he mentioned.

Noting the significance of observing Earth Day, Dr Hasan said if the earth becomes unlivable, other news will lose importance. Expressing regret, he said most of the newspapers didn't publish news on the occasion of the Earth Day today and television channels also didn't air adequate programme.

But AL's sub-committee on forest and environment recalled the day, he mentioned and extended thanks to the committee.

AL Sub-Committee on Forest and Environment Chairman Professor Dr Khandker Bazlul Haque chaired the seminar while noted environmentalist Dr Atiq Rahman, Dhaka University former Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Nasreen Ahmad, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University Vice-Chancellor Prof Aftab Ali Sheikh and Bangladesh Open University Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Mahbuba Nasreen presented key note papers.

Awami League Forest and Environment Affairs Secretary Delwar Hossain moderated it.