Bangladesh faces precarious environmental predicament

The recently published Environmental Performance Index (EPI) in stark evidence of how neglected the issue of environment is in Bangladesh’s economic development. It is deplorable that Bangladesh ranks 179 among 180 countries.

It cannot be of any consolation that India and Nepal come in at 177 and 176 respectively. It only brings home the fact that the risky environment we 160 million people of Bangladesh are living in, is not isolated. We are in the midst of an environmentally threatened region. Despite being environmentally conscious, Bhutan stands at 131 on the index, as the neighbour of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka is an exception in the region, ranking at 70. The situation calls for regular meetings of the environmental ministers of these neighbouring countries. They can look into how certain African nations have managed to ascend high on the list.

Addressing the matter on a multilateral forum, rather than bilaterally, would be more effective in coming up with a common strategy. This recent report belies the reassurances routinely doled out to the public by the governments of the region. It is unfortunate that the political governments of the region lag far behind the European development vision. They prefer feeding the people with tall tales of success pertaining to GDP rates, infrastructure and other physical evidence of successful development.

It is only hoped that they realise that democracy and good governance cannot be effective in the absence of a sound environment. The report states that Bangladesh and India face this precarious environmental predicament due to performance in the sectors of air quality, biodiversity and greenhouse emissions. Bangladesh has to prove its political commitment when it comes to addressing these problems. There are already laws and monitoring institutions in place, it is the implementation of these laws that is sadly lacking. The fact that judicial interventions have failed to protect rivers and wetlands, indicates that political commitment is an imperative factor.