Ban Ki-Moon wants global adaptation centre in Bangladesh

Former UN Secretary-General, who is also the chairman of the Global Commission on Adaptation, Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday proposed setting up a global centre for adaptation in Bangladesh for the South and South-East Asia.

He placed the proposal when he along with President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Dr Hilda C Heine met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of a two-day Dhaka Meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation at Intercontinental Hotel in the city.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the joint meeting.

The former UN Secretary-General termed Bangladesh a model case for the adaptation of climate change.

Both Ban Ki-moon and Dr Hilda highly praised the disaster management of Bangladesh.

They said some 10 lakh people were killed in the 1970 cyclone while 1.5 lakh in the 1991 cyclone, but few died in the recent cyclone Fani due to the government's good management.

Ban Ki-moon said Bangladesh will be the worst affected countries of the climate changes.

In reply, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh makes little contribution to the carbon emission which is responsible for climate change, but Bangladesh is working much to this end.

Ban Ki-moon and Dr Hilda C Heine lauded the initiative and leadership role of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to face the adverse impacts of the climate change.

"You (Sheikh Hasina) are one of the few global leaders over climate change. I count on your continued commitment," Ban Ki-Moon was quoted as saying.

At the meeting, Moon said he had many memories in Bangladesh as he visited the country several times even becoming as the UN Secretary General.

The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had built multi-purpose cyclone centres after the Independence of Bangladesh following bitter experiences of the 1970 severe cyclone.

She said Bangabandhu also built a green belt in Cox's Bazar to reduce the damage of natural disasters. Some 45,000 volunteers were trained up to handle disasters at that time.

Besides, the Father of the Nation developed Mujib Killas to save domestic animals alongside the people during the natural disasters.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs at the PMO Abul Kalam Azad were present at the meeting.