Cooperation with labor movement in
improving work-environment
Protection of work-environment falls
within the purview of the environment movement. The tanneries not only pollute
the environment, but also cause serious damage to the health of the workers.
The recent tragedies in the garments sector enterprises (Rana Plaza, Tazreen
Fashions, etc.) have brought to fore the serious problem of work-environment.
An important issue for discussion of the conference will be how environment
movement and the labor movement can cooperate for improvement of
work-environments, prevention of tragedies, and for protection of
environment.
Relationship with educational
establishments, teachers, scholars, and intellectual community
An important goal of BAPA and BEN is
to connect environment related knowledge, expertise, and research with ground
level environmental activism and movement, because BAPA and BEN believe that
“practice without theory is blind, and theory without practice is barren.” That
is why, BAPA and BEN, from the very beginning, have been keen on establishing
close relationship with the country’s universities, colleges, teachers,
researchers, and the intellectual community. By holding regular conferences and
publishing volumes containing the scientific papers presented in them, BAPA and
BEN have built up a commendable stock of knowledge on almost all major
environmental problems of Bangladesh. The conference will assess the success
and failure of this line of BAPA-BEN activity and will invite representatives
of the scholar and intellectual community to participate in this
assessment.
Expansion of the environment
movement among students and the youth
Students and the young have a
particular stake in environmental issues, because they will have to suffer the
consequences of environmental degradation much longer than the current older
generation. BAPA and BEN are therefore trying from the very beginning to draw
the youth and students to the environment movement. The environment Olympiads
organized recently in several universities of Bangladesh are an example of this
effort. The conference will assess how successful BAPA and BEN have been in
involving the youth in the environment movement and will invite representatives
of the youth and student organizations to participate in this assessment. Going
beyond the student and youth organizations known from before, the conference
will invite representatives of the young generation active in the use of
internet based social media, including the community of bloggers.
Research on BAPA, BEN, and the
environment movement
Not many developing countries have
succeeded in developing nation-wide, organized environment movement as
Bangladesh has done. Not many countries have yet been able to impose ban on the
use of plastic bags. These are successes that Bangladesh can be proud of and
project in the international arena. The people of Bangladesh and in particular
the environmental activists of the country can feel inspired by these
achievements. Because of these achievements and because Bangladesh is the
frontline country from the viewpoint of climate change, the environment
movement of Bangladesh and BAPA and BEN’s role in it have drawn attention of
many scholars and researchers. Many of them have been intrigued by the unique
principles that BAPA and BEN have been following. The conference will discuss
the research on BAPA, BEN, and Bangladesh environment movement and will invite
relevant scholars to present their findings and offer their suggestions.
Role of the environment movement in
the coming elections
The tenure of the current, Ninth
Parliament is expiring on January 24, 2014, and as per the Constitution of the
country, election of the next, Tenth Parliament needs to be held within 90 days
before that date. Accordingly, many are projecting that the election will be
held in the third week of January. In case for some reason the Parliament is
dissolved before its expiry date then the election will have to be held within
three months from the day of dissolution. The government and the Opposition
have not yet come to an agreement about the modalities of the election and
therefore many uncertainties remain, and the country’s political situation can
get heated in the coming days.
BAPA and BEN want a proper election
to be held, and the issue of environment to get due attention in it. The
environment and climate challenge is the biggest challenge facing the country,
and hence the national attention has to be focused on this challenge.
The conference will use its forum
and its preparatory activities to project environment issues and the
environment movement’s views, demands, and recommendations with regard to these
issues into the election campaign. The conference and its preparatory
activities will make effective use of the Dhaka Declaration 2010,
which, in a sense, can serve as BAPA-BEN’s manifesto for the election. The
conference will also discuss how to make effective use the upcoming and future
elections for protection of Bangladesh environment.
Other issues
In addition to the above, the
conference will also discuss other issues, and all are invited to make
constructive and thoughtful suggestions about inclusion of items in the agenda
of the conference.
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