Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has called for harnessing local capabilities to address the adverse impacts of climate change, pointing to the difficulties Bangladesh faces in securing overseas financing.
“Bangladesh will need an estimated $29 billion to cope with climate impacts, yet even securing $1–1.5 billion from the IMF is an uphill task,” he remarked while addressing a climate reporting workshop in the capital on Monday.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s achievements in disaster management, he said the country’s strength lies in its rapid and effective community response to natural calamities.
The workshop, titled “Navigating Climate Finance: Media Reporting,” was jointly organized by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the Economic Relations Division (ERD).
Dr. Salehuddin stressed that effective solutions to climate change are impossible without coordinated efforts by scientists, policymakers, institutions, financiers, and citizens. “Unless these five groups unite, it will not be possible to overcome the climate crisis,” he said.
He added that while there are international commitments for climate finance, they remain inadequate.
Emphasizing the role of the media, the finance adviser said: “Journalists shouldn’t limit themselves to political or social issues. They must also highlight the realities of climate change and natural disasters. Investigative reporting can play a key role in raising public awareness.”
Drawing examples from abroad, he noted that Japanese schoolchildren receive disaster preparedness training from the primary level. “We too should introduce small initiatives, such as ensuring every household has an emergency bag,” he suggested.
He also cautioned that development should not come at the cost of the environment. “Before grabbing land or constructing infrastructure in the name of development, we must think of nature and people’s livelihoods. Only then will Bangladesh earn global respect,” he said.
The event was chaired by PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, with Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and ERD Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky attending as special guests.
In his remarks, Shafiqul Alam said climate change impacts the economy, politics, and public health. He urged journalists to present Bangladesh’s climate vulnerabilities to the global community to draw the attention of climate financiers.