With a major international conference on climate change being held in Montreal, the Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) organised a rally and formed a human chain at Shahbagh in the city to press for their 15-point demand.

The demands include implementation of Kyoto Protocol to curb greenhouse gas emissions, end to indiscriminate felling of trees, more use of renewable energy, protection of river and canals from encroachment, restriction on use of fertiliser and pesticides and plan for sustainable disaster management.

Bapa General Secretary Mahidul Haque Khan presided over the rally. Among others, Bapa Joint Secretary Mihir Biswas, Sirajul Islam Molla, architect Iqbal Habib, Saifuddin Mahbub, Jahedur Rahman and Dr Abdul Hye Majumder spoke at the rally.

The speakers said although Bangladesh is not largely responsible for the climate change, the country will be affected most by global warming and natural catastrophe.

They urged the government to take effective measures to tackle the climate change as Bangladesh is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC).

The speakers also said that human activities are mainly responsible for the climate change.

They also said that the United Nations took the initiative to enforce Kyoto Protocol in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but many signatory countries, specially the western world, are unwilling to comply.

Representatives from about 30 organisations, including Work for a Better Bangladesh, Coalition for the Urban Poor, Nagorik Udyog, Nagorik Sanghati, SOS Samity, Seba, Green Voice, Peace, The Hunger Project, Save the Buriganga Movement and Sylhet Division Development Action Council, joined the rally and human chain programme.