Bangladesh ‘worst victim of climate change’

Experts at an international seminar in Rajshahi have viewed that Bangladesh would be one of the worst victims of climate change caused by industrialised nations.Scholars, environmentalists, researchers and teachers from 15 countries took part in the three-day international seminar on climate change and environmental challenges of 21st century, which was concluded on Thursday at Rajshahi University.Dora Marinova, professor of Cartin University of Australia, presented the keynote paper on the negative effect of climate change.Participants said climate change is now a man-made problem with significant long-term economic and social effects across the world.They said Bangladesh is likely to be one of the worst victims of the climate change caused by the industrialized nations. Bangladesh is vulnerable to cyclones, floods and droughts badly affecting more than 100 million people living in rural areas.They said two-thirds of the country is less than five metres above sea level and, in an average year, a quarter of the country is inundated.Bangladesh has experienced severe floods every 4 to 5 years that may cover more than 60 per cent of the country, resulting in significant losses of lives and wealth, they said.The experts said that if the climate change is continuing, Bangladesh will turn into desert land. The winter and rainy seasons will be lost gradually. The diversity of nature will not prevail.They said that because of the effect of climate change the lives and occupations of the people of Bangladesh are gradually going under threat specially the people who are dependable on natural resource.Speakers underscored the need of find out new way to adapt with the effect of climate change.The seminar was organised by the Rajshahi University Environmental Science Institute in collaboration with the Cartin University of Australia.