The successive governments only considered economic growth for development, but never thought of the environmental issues as its component, they said.

Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), in association with Nagorik Uddog, organised the seminar on "Environment and Human Rights" at the city's WVA auditorium on the second day of its 5-day programme marking the World Environment Day on June 5.

"If we inquire about the success stories of the country in the last 3 decades, the experts would surely note micro-credit and women advancement, but not the environment," Professor Mahbuba Nasreen of Dhaka University said.

Every aspect of environment, ranging from forestry, soil, water and food to agriculture, was degraded seriously in the previous years, she said.

The pressure of population on one hand and the commercial attitude of the policy makers in the other are mainly responsible for this, she added.

"Our future generation has to pay high cost in the long run if we artificially moderate the nature," Professor Mahbuba said, adding the rate of natural disasters and extreme heat in the recent time simply indicate the danger ahead of us.

Speaking as the chief discussant, Mahbuba noted the use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides has increased to 45 percent, while the forestland decreased to 6 percent in the last one decade.

The government, however, claims the forest land in the country is 12 percent.

Presiding over the seminar, Bapa Vice President Professor Kazi Modina said the status of water, especially in the northern districts, is very vulnerable and the government has to take immediate steps to solve the crisis.

"Due to too much use of underground water, the layer is going so down that might cause disaster in the near future," she warned.

She also called upon all to come forward and raise awareness against the speedy expansion of salinity of soil in the southern districts and find out accurate solution.

Presenting the keynote paper, Shawkat Hasan, programme officer of Nagorik Uddog, said 'Sound and Safe Environment' has gained the status of international law in a conference in Sweden in 1972, but it is rarely implemented.

He blamed the monopolistic attitude of the developed countries in imposing the industrialisation that cause environmental pollution to the developing countries.

Rakibul Islam, Zahedur Rahman, Md Sarwar, Khan Abdur Razzak and Hasibur Rahman from various environmental and human rights organisations also took part in the discussion.