Civil society members demand policy to protect people's rights during mega projects

Civil society members have demanded a national policy to protect the rights of the people while implementing small and mega-scale development projects.

They made the call during a seminar titled "Safeguarding Peoples' Rights in Development Projects: Disclosure and Reality" held at the Nasrul Hamid auditorium, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), on Saturday.

The event was organised jointly by the Centre for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), Diakonia, and Reality of Aid.

Giving examples of two mega projects "Sustainable Water Supply Project" and "Dhaka-Sylhet Road Expansion Project," the panellists said that the environmental impact of the projects or the compensation to the affected was not noticed which goes against the National Development Policy.

A discussion meeting was also held where many other government officials and civil society organisations (CSOs) were present.

As the chair of the event, Md Shamsuddoha, chief executive of CPRD, said, "It's appreciable how, as a developing country, Bangladesh is initiating and implementing many small and mega-scale projects with its limited capacity. 

"The level of expected service from a project depends on whether the project has been implemented according to the plan, the management of the project, and its maintenance and operations."

Special guest of the seminar, Mihir Biswas, joint secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), said that a project will not bring benefit to all if equal development is not ensured.

"Development projects should be taken up very carefully for such a climate-afflicted country like Bangladesh."

Aminur Rasul, executive director of Unnayan Dhara Trust, said, "Rivers and water bodies are the lifelines of Bangladesh, and we CSOs are always against the grabbing and contamination of water bodies." 

Mohammad Shahjahan, director of YPSA and Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, a senior journalist of Kaler Kantho were present as special guests at the programme.

Following the end of the event, a water purifier was handed over to DRU from CPRD to discourage single-use plastic bottles at the Nasrul Hamid auditorium.