On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 11:00 AM, a discussion meeting titled "Conservation and Development of Coastal Agriculture and Fisheries Resources: The Way Forward" was held at the SIRDAP International Conference Center. The event was jointly organized by the environmental and climate change related citizen organization Dh-ritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) and Waterkeepers Bangladesh, a regional member of the international organization Waterkeeper Alliance.

The meeting was presided over by M.S. Siddiqui, Private Advisor to the Bangladesh Competition Commission and Co-Convenor of DHORA, and moderated by Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of DHORA and Coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh. Special guests included Archbishop Bijoy Nisfaras D’Cruze OMI of the Dhaka Archdiocese and member of DHORA’s Advisory Committee, Advocate Gloria Jharna Sarkar, former Member of Parliament (Reserved Women’s Seat, Khulna) and a member of the central committee of Bangladesh Awami League, and Sharmin Murshid, former member of the National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) and Chief Executive Officer of Brotee Social Welfare Organization.

During the meeting, research findings on various climate change impacts were presented by Md. Ikbal Faruk, Head of Research at Waterkeepers Bangladesh, presented findings on the impact of climate change on Hilsa fish. Rafiqul Islam, an FSL environmental specialist, shared insights on the impact of climate change on watermelon cultivation. Md. Ashiqur Rahman, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Patuakhali Science and Technology University, discussed the impact of climate change on agriculture.

Grassroots leaders shared their perspectives and thematic discussions, including Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, Coordinator of the Save the Coast Movement; Nur Alam Sheikh, Coordinator of the Save Sundarbans Movement; Faridul Alam Shaheen, environmental organizer from Cox’s Bazar; Delwar Hossain, environmental organizer from Pekua, Cox’s Bazar; Rashid Howlader, fisherman from Mongla; and Shafiqul Islam Khokon, environmental organizer from Patharghata.

Advocate Gloria Jharna Sarkar stated, "All development activities are for the people. However, if development causes harm to people, the Prime Minister will not allow it to happen. The government sincerely accepts constructive criticism. I belong to the coastal region and the agricultural community. The government is working and allocating resources, but it is crucial to ensure that no corruption occurs at the local level when utilizing these funds. Alongside the government, we, the affected people, must also step forward and take action."

M.S. Siddiqui said, "Development is essential, but it must be accompanied by research to assess its benefits and drawbacks, and the research findings should be made public. We have learned that fishing for spawning Hilsa is prohibited from May to June for 65 days and for 22 days in October. However, during these times, no such restrictions are imposed on Indian fishermen, allowing them to freely fish Hilsa in the Bay of Bengal. This harms our country's fishery resources. We urge the government to address this issue and coordinate the fishing ban periods between the two countries."

Sharif Jamil noted, "Due to climate change, cyclones are expected to become more intense and frequent. However, from Cyclone Mocha, we observed that it moved more slowly and persisted for a longer period than previous storms. This is another impact of climate change. Additionally, coal-laden ships traveling to Payra Port and the coal-fired power plant are preventing fishermen from catching fish. This is having a negative impact on the local watermelon crops and the overall agricultural sector in the area."

Archbishop Bijoy Nisfaras D’Cruze said, "The coastal residents have lost their security. It is unacceptable for people to be deprived, uneducated, or go hungry. We must think about everyone’s well-being and act for the good of others. Even if we cannot do good for others, we should at least avoid causing harm. Humanity must learn to move forward together, or else it will face destruction. Let this Bangladesh become more humane. May everyone prosper."

Sharmin Murshid stated, "The government must consider the community's opinions in development work. Strategies for the coastal region need to be determined, and new plans must be devised. We have seen funds allocated for embankments, but no visible work was done. It is essential to ensure that embankments are completed so that coastal residents can sleep in peace."

Nikhil Chandra Bhadra stated, "Instead of farming shrimp in saline water, cultivating Bagda shrimp in freshwater can also be profitable. Allowing saline water into lands for shrimp farming is destroying agricultural lands and depriving farmers of their livelihoods. As a result, people from coastal regions are migrating to Dhaka and other cities for survival. It is essential to control the intrusion of saline water in residential and agricultural areas. We want to live while protecting life and nature."

Nur Alam Sheikh mentioned, "Cyclone Mocha caused extensive damage to the coastal areas, with an estimated loss of around 1 billion BDT. It is believed that the damage would have been much worse if the Sundarbans had not shielded us. However, coal-fired power plants near the Sundarbans are harming the environment. Livestock around the power plant are dying after drinking river water, and Hilsa fish are decreasing in the Pashur River. We must move away from development projects that harm the environment and protect our coastlines."

Faridul Alam Shaheen noted, "Our Cox’s Bazar is rich in diversity with its hills, seas, and forests. Once, food products from Cox’s Bazar were supplied to other areas. However, over the past three decades, 119 hills have been destroyed, canals and rivers have been filled, and agricultural land has diminished. If this continues, in 50 years, there will be no agricultural land left in Cox’s Bazar."

Delwar Hossain said, "Local livelihoods have been disrupted due to the implementation of mega projects. Our salt farming has also been affected. Out of 60,000 acres of land used for salt farming in Cox’s Bazar, 20,000 acres have been acquired for mega projects. Roads have been built by filling the Kohelia River. Now, the river has no fish, only plastic, polythene, and coal power plant waste."