Meet Bangladesh’s young climate heroes
As the climate change crisis reaches unprecedented heights, the Bangladeshi youth are investing their time and effort to revert its impacts through advocacy and headstrong protests
Lamia Mohsin: The climate advocate who refuses to give up hope
"As a young person, it sometimes feels like a burden to do this job. Climate change is a huge global problem and Bangladesh faces the consequences more severely. Being able to talk about our issues on this global platform allows me to do something about them."
Lamia Mohsin does not really consider herself a climate change activist. Activism entails work done on ground, whereas she works more with implementation and policies.
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"I usually say I'm a development practitioner and a climate advocate," she said.
Lamia spoke to The Business Standard in between her many events at Stockholm 50+ where she was a youth representative from Bangladesh.
Graduating from The University of Dhaka with a master's in development studies, she began an internship at United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It was this internship that culminated in a consultancy position that put her on her current trajectory. She had been assigned to the inclusive growth and climate resilience cluster.
She had the opportunity to visit UNDP project sites in Koyra, Satkhira, a remote area which had been severely affected by Cyclone Amphan. During her work, she met a woman whose house and livelihood were destroyed by the cyclone.
"She had her entire life destroyed but she still held a very positive outlook and perspective. I wouldn't have had the same positivity if I were in her shoes. Those affected had come from such difficult predicaments and despite that, they were so resilient – this instance motivated me to keep working in the climate change arena."
Since her consultancy in the UNDP, Lamia has come a long way. She is currently a consultant for both Oxford Policy Management and Global Centre on Adaptation. She was given a badge by the UK government to represent Bangladesh as a part of the 10 Youth Constituency of the UNFCCC (YOUNGO) representatives at COP26 in Glasgow.
For those interested in climate change activism or advocacy, she stressed the importance of starting young and constantly engaging themselves whether it be organising campaigns or working with NGOs.
"You don't have to join a UN organisation. You can start at the grassroots level and your work will elevate you to get recognised by bigger platforms. I have met so many young professionals who did this."
Lamia spoke at length about the thanklessness that often comes with the mentally taxing job of fighting for what sometimes feels like a lost cause. But much like the woman who inspired her, she too keeps a hopeful outlook to survive.
"As a young person, it sometimes feels like a burden to do this job. Climate change is a huge global problem and Bangladesh faces the consequences more severely. Being able to talk about our issues on this global platform allows me to do something about them. Even if we go unheard most times, at least we are giving the world a nudge. I will be idealistic and say that everything on this planet runs on hope."
Khandker Tarin Tahsin: A researcher with a purpose
"I am more of a research enthusiast. I have a desire to learn new things. I am constantly thinking of new things to study and implement. As I learn, I find more things to focus on in the climate change field."
As an undergraduate studying environmental science in North South University, Tarin was initially unsure if she wanted to pursue work in climate change. It was after taking several courses on climate change, taught by the renowned Professor Mizan R Khan, that she began to consider it as a viable option.
"I was particularly interested in climate financing, climate international policies and carbon trading. By my second year, my passion grew and I decided to pursue climate adaptation and mitigation," Tarin explained.
As a research assistant, Tarin did extensive work on climate finance and overseas development aid. She has even attended several national-level programs.
Climate finance is murky in its definition and most Least Developed Countries (LDC) suffer due to this. They do not have the financial means to mitigate and adapt to the encroaching impact of climate change. Tarin saw this deficit first-hand when she worked in climate vulnerable areas in Bangladesh.
"I found out how climate triggered the mass migration of the affected people. As land productivity went down, farmers moved on to shrimp cultivation. Those who didn't have enough for that migrated to work in brick kilns. And those who lacked the means for that were completely destitute.
After finishing her master's in Thailand in 2021, Tarin returned and joined the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) as a Junior Research Officer.
"I am more of a research enthusiast. I have a desire to learn new things. I am constantly thinking of new things to study and implement. As I learn, I find more things to focus on in the climate change field."
It is a broad field. Those who do advocacy or activism don't necessarily do research. But it's all a part of the spectrum. And they're all equally needed to make a change. Those who want to pursue this field can pick out their passion that is suited to their skills.
"Personally, I prefer to research and write than do public speaking," Tarin said. As of now, she has several published articles under her belt.
Train says if you get into research, you need the passion to study and read. And then read some more! Building a network and trying to interact with experts and gaining first-hand experience is the key.
"If you want to do research-based work, study environmental science. Since environment-based problems are all interlinked, you firstly need a minimum level of education and understanding."
Sohanur Rahman: From the ground to the top
"We would always be in fear – either of being stopped or even being thrown in jail. So the risk was there but we were determined to hold our protests."
As a teenager, Sohanur Rahman would work for children's rights, particularly child marriage. It was then that he found the close links between climate change and extreme poverty, which would naturally affect children's rights.
"In 2007, I came face-to-face with Cyclone Sidr. It was a terrifying moment. Later in 2009, I was following COP15 and noticed how despite Bangladesh being very vocal about what is rightly owed to us to prevent the effects of climate change, it felt like we weren't being given our dues," Sohanur recollected.
These experiences eventually inspired him to work on climate change activism. He made a documentary on behalf of UNICEF, documenting the effects of climate change on the youth and women of Rangabali upazila in Barisal, contrasting the suffering there as opposed to his hometown of Barisal city. At the age of 20 in 2016, he decided to focus on climate justice.
By gathering youth communities across Barisal, he created a networking platform that works towards increasing youth initiatives and participation at the local, regional and national levels of policy making regarding the climate crisis. Thus began Youthnet. Since its formation in 2016, Youthnet has organised and earned many achievements, with Sohanur at the forefront.
In 2019, Youthnet. participated in the first global climate strike to create awareness across Bangladesh. Afterwards, they organised a youth parliament in Barisal that passed a bill on the climate emergency. Following this, in November, Bangladesh's National Parliament passed its first ever Planetary Emergency Bill.
"I was in Nairobi, attending a climate event when I received a call from Barisal that the bill had been passed. I was awestruck. I never imagined our National Parliament ever passing a climate emergency bill. It proved to me that maybe the government listens to the youth," said Sohanur.
One of Sohanur's proudest achievements was Youthnet's protest against coal-powered plants in Matarbari being developed by the Bangladeshi government and Japanese investors. The move drew heavy criticism and Youthnet held several protests. Eventually, Japan pulled out and the government cancelled 16 out of the 21 coal plant projects around the country.
"We would always be in fear – either of being stopped or even being thrown in jail. So the risk was there but we were determined to hold our protests."
Sohanur lamented the lack of support youth activists at the grassroots level gets compared to other countries. Whereas in places like the Netherlands the Prime Minister holds dinners with their youth activists, in Bangladesh, most don't even receive basic funding.
"The real work is done by the heroes on the ground. But no one knows young Imran from Matarbari. Their work needs to be recognised and celebrated."
