Staff Correspondent:

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, has stressed the importance of global unity, knowledge-based initiatives and solidarity in tackling the ongoing climate crisis.

“With the limited time and resources we have in hand, collective action is indispensable. This crisis is not only about survival—it is about the safety of our future generations and the very existence of many nations,” she said while addressing the opening ceremony of “Biophilia: Reconnecting People, Climate and Culture” at Aloki, Gulshan on Tuesday.

The event was organised by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh.

Highlighting Bangladesh’s vulnerability, the Adviser said, “As a deltaic and lower riparian country, Bangladesh is among the most climate-vulnerable nations. Our people are demonstrating resilience and courage in the face of repeated disasters, but our capacity is being pushed to the limit due to insufficient mitigation efforts and inadequate international support. Required financing and technological assistance for adaptation are still far from sufficient.”

She called upon development partners to reconsider their support policies and extend stronger cooperation to vulnerable countries like Bangladesh.

Stressing the importance of culture and heritage in resilience-building, she said, “No matter how great the crisis, we will continue to move towards solutions by drawing strength from our culture and traditions, together with our development partners.”

Also speaking at the event were Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Switzerland; Valantine Achancho, Country Director and Representative, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); and Laboni Akter from Shoronkhola, Bagerhat.

Later, the Adviser visited stalls at the exhibition showcasing various initiatives to tackle climate risks, and interacted with students and climate-vulnerable communities.