Staff Reporter:
Dhaka, North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam yesterday announced Taka 1 crore scholarships for students living in slums.
“The DNCC will provide Tk 1 crore as scholarships every year to the students living in slums to continue their educational activities. I visited Karail slum and Bhasantek slum a few days ago, as mayor, I want to say that no slum will be evicted without rehabilitation. The prime minister has clear instructions in this regard,” he said while addressing a policy dialogue in the capital.
DNCC, in collaboration with UNDP, organized the “Policy Dialogue on Climate-Induced Displacement: Challenges and Way Forward for Dhaka North” at the conference room of Nagar Bhaban on Wednesday morning.
“This policy dialogue is aimed at highlighting the issues raised by climate refugees at the international level at today’s event. I will highlight the problems of climate refugees coming to Dhaka from different districts in the climate conference. I will present your views to world leaders and mayors around the world at the climate conference. The message I want to send to world leaders is to provide a healthy en-vironment with our accommodation, our education, our healthy air, social security,” Atiqul said.
“Our government is trying to ensure the quality of life of the people affected by climate change, various NGOs are working with us. But we also have limitations. I would urge the international community to come forward. Those for whom the life of the people of the coastal areas is endangered due to the rise in the salt water level today, for whom the water level in North Bengal has fallen below, the public life is in danger, they have to take responsibility,” he added.
Presided over by Farzana Bobby, assistant city planner of DNCC, the event was attended, among others, by Sonali Dayaratna, deputy resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh, Alex Harvey, team leader, Climate and Environment, British High Commission and Md Selim Reza, CEO of DNCC.