ZCZC
BSS-04
CHAR-PEOPLE-RIGHTS (with picture)
Special allocation can ensure char people’s basic rights
RAJSHAHI, Dec 27, 2020 (BSS) – Speakers at a press conference here today stressed allocating special fund for the people living in char (riverbed) areas to ensure their basic rights along with improving their living and livelihood condition.
They also urged the media men to depict the real pictures of the char people so that the government can adopt need-based programmes for their welfare.
National Char Alliance (NCA) and Unnayan Shamannay jointly organized the press conference titled “Second Wave of Covid-19: Preparedness of Char Areas” under the Alokita Char Project at conference hall of NGO Forum for Public Health in Rajshahi city.
The project is being implemented with financial support of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation- SDC.
Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-economic Development Organization (ASSEDO) and Samata Nari Kolyan Sangstha (SNKS) supported the press meet.
Zahid Rahman, Coordinator (Research and Advocacy) of Unnayan Shamannay, addressed the conference as a focal person.
Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat, Executive Director of ASSEDO Rabiul Alam, NCA local unit President Muhammad Shajahan and Executive Director of Samata Nari Kalyan Sangstha Nazrul Islam also spoke.
The discussants mentioned that emphasis should be given on reaching the existing public services related to agriculture, health and education to the char people through formulating a char development board on priority basis.
They observed elevating the overall living and livelihood condition of the char people can be a vital means of achieving sustainable development goals.
All the government and non-government entities concerned should come forward and work together to this end, they added.
Zahid Rahman said char people live struggling against different natural calamities including the fatal Covid-19, extreme river erosion, flood and drought.
Due to its geographic location, Bangladesh is among the countries that are most affected by climate change and the char people are the first and major victims of this, he added.
BSS/AH/GMR/1352 hrs