Published : 10 Aug 2026, 05:26 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:31 AM
BRAC University's Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER) hosted a two-day celebration of World Environment Day and World Nature Conservation Day at the university campus on Aug 8-9, with support from Mutual Trust Bank PLC.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Syed Ferhat Anwar opened the event by calling on Bangladesh to take a leadership role in environmental conservation, citing the country's distinction as home to the world's largest mangrove forest, largest delta, longest natural sea beach and largest deep-sea submarine fan -- the Bengal Fan, which spans 3,000km across the Bay of Bengal.
Chief guest Shaikh Faridul Islam, state minister for environment, forest and climate change, announced a government initiative to plant 250 million trees nationwide, with regional mapping already under way to identify suitable species.
He also called for eliminating wood-fuel brick kilns and replacing single-use polythene with biodegradable alternatives, and reaffirmed the government's commitment to public health impact assessments before major development projects, states the institution.
Md Saimum Parvez, special assistant to the prime minister for environment, stressed the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" principle and the need for a circular economy involving government, academia, banks, and civil society.
Emeritus Prof Dr Ainun Nishat, C3ER advisor, noted that Bangladesh has signed 40 to 50 international environmental agreements and called for stronger domestic implementation of those commitments.
AKM Sohel, additional secretary at the Economic Relations Division, encouraged young people to develop skills in climate finance and project design to strengthen Bangladesh's access to global climate funds.
Awards were presented to the top three participants of the She4Climate Fellowship Programme, supporting women's leadership in climate action.
The event covered five technical sessions on climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, nature-based solutions and youth engagement, and was held as BRAC University marks its 25th anniversary.
