Public Health
About Environment Program
CLPA is an organization whose mission is to protect, preserve and Bangladesh Environment through education, policy reform, agency advocacy, and public interest litigation. CLPA Trust brings a new form of creative public advocacy effectively linking environmental progress and economic development that improves the quality of life in our communities.
Dhaka city dwellers deprived of right to breathe clean air
The right to breathe clean air is a constitutional right and a human right of the people of the country. However, the people, particularly the dwellers of Dhaka city; are being deprived of the right to breathe clean air, said public health experts and rights activists. They said these at a discussion held in the meeting room of Dhaka International University (DIU) on Sunday (July 30, 2023) Center for Law and Policy Affairs (CLPA), Open Sesame and Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE) jointly arranged the discussion on improving the air quality of Dhaka city.
The meeting was attended by Prof Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumde. chairman at Department of Environmental Science of Stamford University Bangladesh and founding chairman of Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS); Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, secretary of CLPA; Prof Dr AFM Sarwar, research consultant at CLPA; Md Bazlur Rahman, an associate professor at Department of Business Administration, of Dhaka International University (DIU); Sushanta Sinha, executive director of IPHRC; Advocate Shahnewaz Bangladesh, a lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court; Barrister Nishat Mahmud; a lawyer of the Supreme Court; Hamidul Islam Hillol of Bureau of Economic Research at Dhaka University, Kamrunnisa Munna, policy analyst at CLPA; Ehsanul Haque Jasim, executive director of Inter Press Network-IPN; Md Asrar Habib Nipu of DAS; and Farhana Zaman Liza, project manager of Tobacco Control and Research Cell (TCRC) of Dhaka International University.
The speakers said that air pollution is currently a cause of concern for Dhaka city. According to Air Quality Index (AQI) data, Bangladesh is a most air polluted country in the world. They also said that air pollution is one of the environmental health risks at present. About seven million people die every year due to air pollution in the world and about 2.40 lakh people die every year in Bangladesh. If efforts are not taken to prevent air pollution now, it will have adverse effects on public health and economy in the near future, they added. Source: https://bangladeshpost.net/
Challenges of implementation of Environmental Court Law
To aware youth about the Environment law and court of Bangladesh Center for Law and Policy Affairs and Human Rights Advocacy Cell, Dhaka International University organized a workshop on Environment Law and Court.
During the workshop presenter discuss about the challenges of implementation of Environment law. Speakers said, The Environment Court in Dhaka and Chittagong remains somewhat ‘inactive’ due to different reason.
The court had been set up to deal with cases concerning environmental issues. A public prosecutor and officials of various designations were appointed to conduct the proceedings. But currently the court mainly handles civil and criminal cases in the absence of environmental ones. In the workshop near about 30 youth was participated.
Challenges of implementation of Environmental Court Law
On 20 December 2020 CLPA organized a Webnair on Role of Environment Count law to protect the environment. Senior Advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Count Zahirul Islam Khan, Deputy Attorny, Bangladesh, F R Khan were present as a discussent. Advocacy Syed Mahbubul Alam, Secretary, Center for Law and Policy Affairs presented the key note paper, Barrister Nishat Mahmood was modarte the session. Said stress Environment Court law should amendment to mpower citizen to file case directrly. CLPA hosted a Webinar on the Role of Environment Count Law in Environmental Protection on December 20, 2020. Senior Advocate of Bangladesh Supreme Court, Count Zahirul Islam Khan, and Deputy Attorney General of Bangladesh, F R Khan, were present as discussants. The key note paper was presented by Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam, Secretary, Center for Law and Policy Affairs, and the event was moderated by Barrister Nishat Mahmood. Speckers Said that the Environment Court law should be amended to allow citizens to file cases directly.