Interim govt working to uphold environmental justice: Rizwana

The Interim government is working diligently to uphold environmental justice, climate justice, and community rights within the national governance framework, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said today (3 December).

She said that her lifelong mission remains unchanged- "how to save our world from corporate clutches, how to empower communities, how to secure their rightful space in legal frameworks, and how to make development ecocentric rather than destructive."

The adviser made the remarks while addressing virtually as the chief guest at the International Conference on Environmental Justice held at Brac CDM, Savar.

Discussing the responsibilities of the interim government, Rizwana highlighted three major national priorities: preparing for a free and fair election, reforming key governance sectors, and ensuring justice for those who sacrificed their lives in the recent student-led movement that ended the long authoritarian regime.

She outlined ongoing reforms in environmental governance, including the long-overdue enforcement of the 22-year-old ban on single-use polythene bags and the expansion of plastic-free zones nationwide.

She noted that efforts are underway to restore major rivers and forest ecosystems, strengthen wildlife and biodiversity protection, and accelerate environmental compliance.

The adviser underscored the government's renewed commitment to constitutionally recognised ethnic minorities in forest areas, reflected in the recently approved Forest Policy, which mandates free, prior, and informed consent for forest-dependent communities.

Referring to the fragile state of St Martin's Island, she said tourism is being more strictly regulated to revive the degraded coral ecosystem.

She also discussed intensified measures to combat hazardous air pollution, noting that although results will take time, enforcement has begun in earnest.

The adviser described the unprecedented flood in Feni and the broader climate vulnerabilities facing Bangladesh, river erosion, salinity intrusion, sudden cross-border water releases, and reaffirmed that climate justice remains central to her work in both ministries.

She highlighted the establishment of the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership, which aims to ensure transparent, accountable, and equitable climate finance for affected communities.

Calling for a shift in Bangladesh's development priorities, she urged reducing overdependence on mega projects and allocating more resources to climate-impacted populations.

Rizwana reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding renewable energy under the new policy framework, noting that all government offices have been directed to install functional rooftop solar systems.

She also emphasised the ongoing government drive to eliminate single-use plastics from all ministries, saying, "Environmental justice is value-based. If we truly value our people and our planet, our actions must reflect it."

She expressed hope that the next elected government would continue and strengthen these reforms.

Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Sardar M Asaduzzaman, assistant resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh; Nayoka Martinez Backström, first secretary and deputy head of cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden; Mirza Quamrul Hasan, chairman of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela); and Taslima Islam, acting chief executive officer of Bela, were also present.

The International Conference on Environmental Justice, jointly organised by the Bela, Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), the Embassy of Sweden, and UNDP Bangladesh.

The two-day conference, taking place from 3–4 December 2025, aims to foster critical dialogue on environmental justice challenges in Bangladesh and across the globe.