In Bangladesh the Dhaka-Chittagong highway is not so good for suitable transportation.So, it is necessary to expand this highway into four lane format.

The government is finally set to sign agreements with three companies, worth Tk 1655 crore, to expand the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to four lanes.

The cabinet purchase committee, headed by finance minister AMA Muhith, approved a proposal Monday to award contracts to a Chinese company and two local firms.

“This long-waited project is about to materialise with today’s approval,” Nurul Karim, joint secretary of the cabinet division, told reporters after the meeting.

The construction work is divided into 10 parts, seven of which will be done by China’s Sinohydro Corporation. Reza Construction and TBL-ACL joint venture will get two parts and one part respectively.

The present government has declared expansion of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, the country’s main road route, as one of its top priorities.

The highway is seen as crucial for increasing foreign trade through Chittagong Port and transportation of goods along the country’s main commercial road.

Plans for its expansion from two lanes to four have been on the table since 2004. But previous tenders were twice cancelled following allegations of irregularities by local bidders.

This time round, both foreign and local bids were invited. The tender, floated in June, closed in September.

Monday’s meeting also approved the appointment of an adviser for the Water Management Development Project. This Tk 47 crore project under the WDB is being jointly funded by the World Bank and government of Netherlands.

The purchase committee also approved appointment of a consultancy firm for the ‘Cyclone Recovery and Restoration’ on an emergency basis. The Tk 12.7 crore project is being jointly implemented by the Bangladesh government and World Bank.

Appointment of a contractor for construction work of circular drains and internal roads of Purbachal New Town was also approved in the meeting.

So, we hope that the Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway will be the absolutely suitable for our national transportation.

Jute is the most important fibre in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the largest exporter of raw jute.The local price of raw Jute in Bangladesh is the international price.

Bangladesh has banned the export of raw jute with immediate effect due to reduced yield following an erratic monsoon, officials said on Tuesday.

Bangladesh slapped this export ban on raw jute to ensure smooth supply of the natural fibre for its local mills as the South Asian country predicted dwindling jute production this year.

The ban was unavoidable to ensure uninterrupted supply of raw jute to domestic jute mills, in the wake of poor cultivation of the item, they said. Bangladesh experienced an irregular monsoon which arrived late in the immediate past farming season.

“The ban will continue until the next crop in July-August next year,” a senior official of the Jute Ministry said.

‘The government will allow raw jute exports only after meeting local demands,’ Jute and Textile Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui told reporters.

Bangladesh usually exports around 40 percent of its total production of 4 million tonnes of raw jute while the remainder goes to 160 domestic jute and spinning mills.

Bangladesh exported 140,000 tonnes of raw jute worth $133.5 million in 2008-09 (July-June) financial against exports of 100,000 tonnes worth $103 million in the previous year.

Bangladesh’s 21 state-owned and 110 private jute mills need around 256,000 tonnes of raw jute annually against a production of nearly 440,000 tonnes. Another official said it was feared production could fall significantly in the current fiscal year.

The jute mills export finished jute goods worth $200 million annually.

Agriculturalists estimate that the country may suffer a production shortfall of 10 percent in 2009.

The UN-sponsored Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen heard voices of concern and complaint on the second day, as delegates of Bangladesh and Nepal said they were disappointed that a draft of potential treaty on climate framed by the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China) group does not address the main concerns of the poor and the least developed countries.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury, leader of the Bangladesh parliament delegation to COP15, stressed the “need to talk a lot more on this.”

Another delegation member, Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, said that most of the countries under the G77 group of developing nations oppose the BASIC draft, which only protects the interests of the four nations that drafted it.

At a press conference at the Danish capital Tuesday, Bangladesh’s State Minister of Environment and Forest Hasan Mahmud demanded that at least 15 percent of any climate fund should be allotted to that South Asian country, as it is “the most vulnerable country in the world to climate change.”

He also said Bangladesh would press for a $600 billion annual fund from the developed nations that are mostly responsible for the higher carbon emissions to help poor countries, which suffer the most from the side-effects of climate change.

Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, a leading economist in the Bangladesh negotiation team, told reporters that “We are not begging any mercy from anyone. Rather we want justice as the worst victim of climate change.”
Bangladesh is one of the poor nations worried that they will not get enough fund to help them adapt to climate change.

Bangladesh Environment Deputy Secretary S.M. Munjurul Hannan Khan says “There is nothing specifically mentioned for addressing adaptation issue.”

Speaking at the opening of the 12-day conference Monday, UN’s top Climate Change official Yvo de Boer specifically outlined the danger faced by Bangladesh and small island countries of being submerged due to rising sea levels.

It is feared that if sea levels rise by one meter, at least 15 per cent of the total population of Bangladesh would be displaced. An even worse situation is awaiting about 20 million people in that country if the glaciers on the Himalayas melt due to global warming.

Bangladesh and Nepal have already warned that the poorest developing countries will block any deal that does not include a long-term fund to help them face the consequences of adopting carbon emission cuts.

Speaking last month at the Copenhagen Commitment Circle, a platform of world leaders formed ahead of the UN conference, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged rich nations to help climate-vulnerable nations in the same way they bailed out economies damaged by the global recession.
De Boer, who is also in charge of the negotiations, reported “encouraging” progress on agreeing on a $10 billion a year emergency fund to help poor countries. The United States, Australia, Japan and the EU have all supported it.

In the background of intense global interest heightened by the sense that this is an opportunity for the world to deal decisively with the causes and effects of climate change, delegates from 192 countries have gathered in the Danish capital.

Several grueling rounds of talks by delegates will culminate when around 100 leaders join them on December 18, supposedly to sign a new pact to tackle greenhouse gas emissions after the Kyoto Protocol’s requirements expire in two years.
Determining how much affluent countries including EU members, Japan, the U.S. and Australia should reduce emissions is a point of hot contention. Other potential roadblocks include limits on discharges by emerging economies such as China and India and climate aid for the poorest countries.

China Monday called anew developed nations to provide funding to help poorer countries fight climate change.

It is true that Tareq Rahman qualify himself as a leader ,through the spirit of youth party people belive Tareq can show a good political views for party and Bangladesh ,to get the leader’s leading BNP maximum leaders agreed for Tareq’s lead. As a result The party has  changed their costitution and added a right position for Tareq Zia as The Vice Chairman of BNP.

Biography of Tareq Rahman

born November 20, 1965) is a Bangladeshi politician. He is the Senior Vice Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Tareq is the son of Late president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister-BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda ZiaTarique is the elder son of former President of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, and Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Since 1988 he worked in the textiles industry, setting up a number of textile mills, and in the water transport sector, purchasing several boat launches. Tarique is married to Zubaida Khan, a physician working in the government. Their daughter Zaima is fourteen years old.

The 5 national council of BNP 2009 elected Tareq Rahman senior vice-chairman of the party. In 1993 he started his political career as a primary member of the party’s Gabtali Upazila and later Bogra District committee member. In June 2002, he was appointed as Joint Secretary General of BNP by its Standing Committee. After taking office as the Senior Joint General Secretary, Tareq launched a program called “Grassroots Level Conference” in every district of the country as well as “Divisional conferences” and “Upazila Conferences” aiming to know the view of party workers. He also attended hundreds of party meetings allover the country. Many leaders of the party accompanied him in those meetings. While visiting, Tungipara sub-district, Tareq visited the tomb of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and paid respects on behalf of the BNP, though Awami League consistently criticize Tareq’s father Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP.

Tareq also contributed towards establishing various welfare organizations. He also visited several parts of the country to motivate the poor people to be self reliant in many ways by establishing like poultry, dairy and fish farm.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia, Tuesday offered to make the institution “effective” provided her rival and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina showed “respect” for the opposition’s role.
Signalling a change in stance, Zia warned the Hasina-led government against taking “any decisions that concern the people” without consulting parliament. If not, she would protest and even launch a mass movement.

Her call to Hasina came as she opened her faction-ridden BNP fifth national council meeting after a hiatus of 16 years.

“We will extend constructive cooperation to the government so that they can fulfil their work,” Star Online quoted Zia as telling over 2,000 delegates.

But she also asked the government to pay due respect to the opposition party.

The ruling Awami League (AL) yesterday hoped that democracy in Bangladesh will be stronger through reorganisation of BNP under the leadership of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia making its national council successful.

“We, on behalf of Awami League wish all the success of this council and we also hope that BNP will be reformed and stronger by holding the council,” Asim Kumar Ukil, deputy publicity secretary of the ruling party, said in his address at the inaugural session of the BNP council.

Thousands of BNP councillors and delegates welcomed Asim Ukil by clapping during his short speech.

Asim Kumar who was leading a four-member delegation in BNP council said, “we came here to greet you all [BNP men] on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the day of your party’s council.”

He said Awami League believe that foundation of democracy will be strong if BNP becomes stronger through this national council.

He hoped that BNP under the leadership of Khaleda Zia will work to re-establish the spirit of the liberation war, eliminate corruption from the society and make the country free from brutality of communalism.

Earlier BNP had formally invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend its council.

On July 24, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia expressed her greetings to Hasina and wished AL’s national council a success. A three-member delegation of BNP handed AL leaders a message at the council held at Bangabandhu International Conference centre.

Jamat-e-Islami Chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, Jatiya Party Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, Islami Oikya Jote Secretary General Abdul Latif Nezami, Khelafat Majlish Chairman ATM Ishaq, Jagpa President Shafiul Alam Prodhan, among others, spoke at the inaugural session of the BNP council……………..

The fifth national council of BNP took off Tuesday morning after a long hiatus of 16 years with party chief Khaleda Zia hoisting the national flag at the conference venue in the capital.
She(Begum khaleda zia, arrived at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at around 10:30am.

A four-member delegation of the ruling Awami League, the arch-rival of BNP, led by Ashim Kumar Ukil is attending the inaugural session.
As many as 2,512 councillors, 12,000 delegates from across the country and 3,000 local and foreign guests are attending the council.
Officials and organisers said a three-tier security has been put in place to guard against any violence at the moot.
Party founder late president Ziaur Rahman convened the first council in 1978. Later three BNP councils were held in 1983, 1988 and 1993.
The council is being held to amend the party’s constitution as required under the Representation of People Order (2nd amendment).

BNP will have to submit its amended constitution to the Election Commission by January 24, 2010.

Most political parties, including the ruling Awami League, have already submitted their amended party constitutions, but six parties—including BNP—are yet to submit their constitutions.

The programmes of the council include the opening session, a closed-door council session and cultural function.

Only the party councillors will be allowed to attend the closed-door council session.

A pre-recorded statement of BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, now in London, will be put on a big screen at the council.

Tarique went to London, with his wife and children, for medical treatment in September 2007, after being granted bail in a number of cases.

He was arrested under emergency rules by the past military-backed caretaker government.

Khaleda Zia was re-elected unopposed the chairperson of BNP as she was the only candidate for the top post.

There was no other contender against Khaleda, who currently holds the chairmanship of the party.

Khaleda was re-elected chairperson of BNP in the party council held in September 1993.

She took over the position of party chairperson in 1983 from the then BNP chairman late Abdus Sattar, when the post was renamed ‘chairperson’.

The party will propose to add to its constitution the provision of a number of new posts of senior secretary general, deputy treasurer and indigenous people affairs secretary and one more joint secretary.

BNP vice president Tariqul Islam, who is also the convenor of the constitution reform committee, said on Monday they have received some 40 reform proposals from across the country.

In addition, there are suggestions for expansion of all committees from grassroots union level to central level with a provision for every committee to have at least 30 percent women, he also said.

The highest policy-making forum of the party, the national standing committee, has approved all the proposals after scrutiny.

But the proposals will get the final endorsement at the national council, Islam said.

Considering the  effect of Global warming .Bangladesh is entitled to ask for at least 15 percent of any climate adaptation fund that may be pledged by developed countries at climate talks in Copenhagen, the state minister for the environment said on Tuesday.

“We are the most vulnerable country to climate change and the world has already recognized that we need assistance for adaptation,” Hasan Mahmud Khondoker told a news conference.

He said at least 20 million Bangladeshis, of a total population about 150 million, would be displaced if sea levels rose by one meter. Many more would be affected if glaciers on the Himalayas melted due to global warming.

“The population of our one coastal district is bigger than the entire population of all island countries and in that consideration at least 15 percent of any climate fund should come to us.”

Bangladesh has said that during the Copenhagen meeting it would demand that the 29 developed countries mostly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions contribute 1.5 per cent of their GDP to a climate adaptation fund.

Officials say this could generate up to $600 billion to adapt to changes. Another key demand of Bangladesh at the conference would be easy transfer of technology from the developed countries to those most vulnerable.

“We are not begging any mercy from anyone. Rather we want justice as the worst victim of climate change,” said Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, a leading economist, who is also part of Bangladesh negotiation team.

………………..Refference

The Society for Bangladesh Climate Justice (SBCJ) is organizing a seminar on climate change impacts on Bangladesh due to global warming. As the world leaders meet in Copenhagen next week, this seminar is to elucidate global warming, its effects on the low lying countries such as Bangladesh and to urge that the Copenhagen meeting reaches a binding agreement on the reduction of emissions and develops an effective mechanism as to how is the help needed by the developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed. The seminar will be held at the Liu Institute of Global Issues, UBC Campus, on December 9th, 2009 from 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Speakers at the seminar include James Mattison, Former Assistant Deputy Minister of BC Ministry of Environment; Professor John Richards (SFU); Professors Milind Kandlikar, William Rees and Roger Beckie (UBC); Rebeca Mallett (CIDA); Vic Galay (Northwest Hydraulic Consultants); Tony Sperling (Sperling Hansen Associates) and Professor Harun Rashid (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse). SBCJ is a non-profit advocacy group formed by the Bangladeshi community living in the Greater Vancouver region of BC. Bangladesh is one of the low-lying countries in the world those are most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Climate change is the greatest environmental, social and economic threats of our time. The frequency of natural calamities like cyclone, floods, and tidal surges has increased manifold in various parts of the world. People in the South, particularly those in Bangladesh, Maldives and other coastal/low-lying island countries are on the brink of disasters. Sea level rise will inundate and displace millions of people in the future. Nearly 30 million people will be displaced in Bangladesh alone by 2030. Bangladeshi Canadians are greatly concerned about the environmental disasters and climate change-driven devastation in Bagladesh from global warming. As they are concerned, the map of Bangladesh may change in this generation due to rising sea level unless a global movement for climate justice is initiated and this issue is raised as a challenge for the global community. SBCJ feels that their effort will make a difference provided all work together and, more importantly, everyone wishes to make the difference.

As the world’s attention turns to the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen, people living in some of the world’s most vulnerable and exposed areas — such as Bangladesh — continue to struggle with the everyday effects of unpredictable weather scientists say is brought about by global warming.

(www.thedailystar.net)CLIMATE is not only statistical information, rather a fundamental element of human security and common resource for humanity. Climate change is already happening and represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic challenges for the future.

The world has warmed by an average of 0.76° Celsius since pre-industrial times, and the temperature rise is accelerating. Without action to limit man-made emissions of greenhouse gases, the global average temperature is likely to increase further by 2° to 5°C this century.

Climate change presents significant threats to achieving all of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those related to eliminating poverty and hunger and promoting environmental sustainability. It may undermine human security by reducing access to, and the quality of, natural resources that are important to sustain livelihoods. It will have a massive impact on food production and may jeopardise food security in many regions. Climate change-related risks may force people into trade-offs that limit their freedom and minimise choice.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has defined climate change as a change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. The goal of the UNFCCC is stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

By ratifying the convention, parties agree to develop national programs to slow climate change. All countries have a general commitment to address climate change, adapt to its effects, and report on the actions they are taking to implement the UNFCCC. Bangladesh signed the Convention on June 9, 1992, ratified it on April 15, 1994, and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on October 22 2001.

The UNFCCC conference in Copenhagen is a great opportunity to press for an effective global deal to curb global warming. The developed countries must cut in their carbon emissions by at least 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, which will be crucial in keeping global warming to 2oC or less.

International agreements made between governments of different countries are critical in addressing the global impacts of climate change. It is the moral and ethical responsibility of developed countries to take the lead in ensuring that the level of increase in global temperature is maintained below 2°C over pre-industrial levels.

In this 15th conference (COP 15), governments needs to agree on a program to radically slash global greenhouse gas emissions after the current commitment phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. They also need to agree to a much bigger package of resources to help poor countries adapt to the unavoidable climate change. The urgency of tackling climate change justifies an acceleration of people’s engagement in 2009.

The Countdown to Copenhagen campaign is an APRODEV initiative to ensure that world leaders deliver a fair and effective deal for the poor at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. APRODEV is an association of the 17 major development and humanitarian aid organisations in Europe, including Church of Sweden, Diakonia, Norwegian Church Aid, Dan Church Aid, Finn Church Aid, ICCO, EED, Brot für die Welt, Bread for All, and Christian Aid.

Coastal Development Partnership (CDP), a human rights focused not-for-profit, and public interest serving research and advocacy organisation, is one of the key facilitators of the Countdown to Copenhagen campaign in Bangladesh. CDP is a partner organisation in the APRODEV/ UNFCCC delegation team.

The Countdown to Copenhagen Bangladesh Campaign has linked 54 NGOs into one platform to connect more than 100,000 climate vulnerable people to get their solidarity for a People’s Memorandum. CDP, along with 54 NGOs, is voluntarily conducting the Bangladesh campaign in 57 upzillas of 35 districts. The geographical coverage of the campaign has already shaped it as national climate justice campaign.

The Countdown to Copenhagen Bangladesh Campaign recognises the grassroots NGOs/CBOs as important facilitators for promoting climate change awareness among the communities as well as building local adaptive capacity for managing climate risks. The Bangladesh campaign has prepared a People’s Memorandum that calls on rich countries, who are most responsible for climate change and have the greatest capacity to act, to sign obligations that commit them to:

-Achieve at least a 40 percent cut in domestic carbon emissions (from 1990 levels) by 2020;

-Provide an additional $150 billion for ensuring that developing countries have all the support and resources necessary to reduce their emissions, develop cleanly and adapt to climate change;

-Support developing countries emissions reductions and low-carbon development pathways through substantial financing and technology transfer;

-Strengthen international activities through a Global Adaptation Action Framework under the UNFCCC to support vulnerable developing countries to adapt to climate change and build resilience to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

All Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) impact assessments recognise Bangladesh as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the negative impacts of climate change. The geographic location and geo-morphological conditions of Bangladesh make it especially vulnerable to climate change impacts, particularly to sea-level rise. The United National Development Programme (UNDP) has identified Bangladesh to be the most vulnerable country in the world to tropical cyclones and the sixth most vulnerable country to floods.

The Bangladesh campaign is counting on the urgency and commitment from developed countries to keep adaptation as a top-level priority in international negotiations for a post 2012 deal. The Countdown to Copenhagen Bangladesh campaign demands that any solutions to climate change must protect the most vulnerable, compensate displaced people, guarantee individual and collective rights, and respect people’s right to participate in decisions that impact on their lives.

Some other facts .In Bangladesh, climate change refugees flee to cities