Five-party collaboration crucial for climate-induced disaster management: Adviser Salehuddin

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, on Monday, stressed that effective management of climate-induced disasters in Bangladesh will require the collaboration of five key actors—knowledge generators or scientists, policymakers, institutions, financiers, and communities.

Speaking at the inauguration of a three-day training workshop titled “Navigating Climate Finance: Media Reporting,” organised jointly by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the Economic Relations Division (ERD) at the PKSF Auditorium, he says that human awareness and community response remain the fastest and most effective tools in the fight against climate disasters.

Ahmed observes that Bangladesh would need at least US$30 billion to manage the growing risks of climate change. “Bringing even US$1.0 to US$5.0 billion has become extremely difficult, while we continue to talk much but do little,” he says.

He criticises the lack of seriousness in translating knowledge into practice, noting that while the Global North often pledges climate finance, the delivery remains uncertain.

Referring to the Club of Rome, he said Bangladesh’s vulnerability due to its geographical location demands urgent global action.

He says that the upcoming World Bank meeting in October would discuss issues concerning the V20 forum, representing the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.

While focusing on the media’s role in Climate Response, he calls on journalists to play a proactive role in shaping global narratives.

“We expect local journalists to contribute as much as, or even more than, global thought leaders like Walter Lippmann when it comes to climate reporting,” he says.

Press secretary to the chief adviser, Shafiqul Alam, says how climate change can affect governance and politics.

“Even the fall of Ershad’s regime was linked to devastating floods to some extent,” he says, warning that unchecked risks like salinity, fertility loss, pandemics, dengue, and the Bhabadaha inundation crisis could cause prolonged socio-economic suppression if left unaddressed.

ERD secretary Shahriar Alam Siddiky echoes that journalists can present real stories and voices that help the world know our situation.

This way, we can build bridges, and their reporting can serve as strong backup support for climate finance negotiations.

He emphasises that ERD works with development partners to secure financing but relies on journalists to highlight the urgency.

PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, presiding over the event, underscored the importance of awareness.

“Global leaders like Trump have denied climate change. But if people understand the impact and adversity, 50 per cent of the work is done. Local journalists must raise stories nationally, while global platforms must carry out activism,” he says.

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