News_events

Discussion and Sharing Session on Climate Justice :Copenhagen Conference and Bangladesh

29 December 2009

Developed countries are mainly responsible for environmental pollution and people of Bangladesh especially people of coastal area are mostly affected by frequent storm and tidal bore. A large part of Dacope, Koyra and Assasuni Upazilla are still under water with the affect of Aila.
Ice of the Himalayas is melting, soon all ice will be melted and our river sources will be disappeared. Again, ice of deep oceans is melting rapidly; as a result, our coastal belt will go under water as soon. Bangladesh is located in such a disastrous situation. This is the effect of global warming or climate change. We, the people of coastal belt are living with adaptation against climate change. Therefore, we have to keep in mind that people are the responsible of environmental imbalance. We have to stop activities those are harmful for environment. We are responsible for our local climate change scenario, and it is our responsibility to keep our environment in a balance situation. On 29 December 2009, speakers of a discussion session, which was organized by People’s Network of Climate Change Actions, with the assistance of JJS, told about these issues. Professor Dilip Kumar Dutt, Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University; Abdullah al Mamun, Coordinator, Karmajibi Nari, Dhaka, Lubana Yasmin, Assistant Professor, Government B.L. College, Khulna were the honorable speakers of the meeting. ATM Zakir Hossain, Coordinator, People’s Network on Climate Change Actions and Executive Director, JJS was the moderator of the meeting.
Participants told that the effect of climate change is dangerous is agreed the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. This is our only achievement. Nevertheless, the reduction of Carbon emission is not agreed in this conference. We are steel under the Kyoto Protocol. The Government of Bangladesh urged to provide compensation in this conference. We should think that is our Government capable to spend that compensation effectively? So, our urge is ‘developed countries have to decrease carbon emission rate’. To combat against climate change our stand would be delineation of a proper action plan with the participation of the grass root people and proper implementation of all policies regarding environment conservation by the Government. Participants of the meeting were students, Teachers Journalists, and representatives of Civil Society and Non Government Organizations.

ABM Abdul Malek, Lecturer, Kopotakhsya College, Koyra described about the miserable situation that prevailing in Koyra Upazilla. He described that there are seven Unions in Koyra Upazilla and among them six Unions are still inundated by water which are the effect of climate change situation. On 25 May, 2009 the main embankment of Kopotakshya River was broken and the river water in flowed all the area of the Upazilla within sort time. A large number of people saved their lives living on trees with only the cloth they worn and many people died by the disaster Aila. At present, paddy field and pasture land are inundated by saline water. Tree varieties are dying. The area is totally now without cattle. With the advancement of summer season, koyra will be a human habitat without natural lives.

Objectives:

The objectives of the discussion sessions were:

1. To share about the achievements of Copenhagen Conference held on 7-18 December, 2009.
2. To discuss about expectations of the people of Bangladesh to climate change related conferences.
3. To suggest some possible actions through which we can get justice and protect our local environment from the effect climate change.

Festival packet and dress distribution to Disable children of Shishu Kendra

SHISHU KENDRA

Tlimpur, Rupsha, khulna

November 26, 2009

JJS has long been giving assistance to intellectually disable children of Rupsha Upazila under Khulna district of Bangladesh though a school (Shishu Kendra) centered interventions to help overcome from the hidden sufferings from individual and family perspectives. Executive Director of JJS Mr. ATM Zakir Hossain is the pioneer of the noble task.
Very recently some local donors realized the need to stand by the side of Mr. Zakir to share the noble task for the purpose of the children who used to lead lives differently than normal children and to rehabilitate them into the societies.
EID is the biggest festival for Muslim Community and to share the happiness with the disable children local donors contributed efforts making the children happy at least during EID festival.

Following items are given to the Children:

Local donors:

SIDR day commemoration by Adolescent

15 November, 2009

On 15 November 2007, the most violent Cyclone SIDR has swept over Sharankhola causing severe damages. To get the day in remembrance, the adolescent team of the project held different programs like- Art competition for children, Discussion session on SIDR experience, Photo exhibition and cultural programs on 15 November this year.

Art competition:
An art competition held for the children of JJS pre- school. Art competition started at 10.00 am. Adolescent team members managed the art competition program. 22 children of the school participated in the art competition.

Adolescent conducted Discussion session on SIDR experience:
A sensitive discussion session on SIDR experience by the adolescents starts at 11.30 am. 96 adolescents from 10 groups participated in the programs. 4 adolescents participated in the discussion. They disclosed their feelings and experience which drew attention of the audience presented there. Yuko Tanaka, Director Shapla Neer, ATM Zakir Hossain, Executive Director, JJS, other staffs of Shapla Neer & JJS and adolescents presented as audience. The discussion session facilitated by Surma Akhtar and Md. Rafiqul Islam, adolescent group members of Uttaran Adolescent group and Ananda Adolescent group respectively.

Meem Akhtar, Shapla Adolescent group member expressed her experience. She stated ‘’On the SIDR day, earlier we were in our house, we did not go like other to cyclone center at the first time. Because it was my mother’s belief that, if there is any person in the house, it remains stronger and that cannot be fallen by the cyclone. But at 10.30 PM, when SIDR hit and water entered the house we took shelter in the nearby mosque”.
My grandmother caused in death by the cyclone.

Later Kajol Akhtar, Uttaran Adolescent Group Member, Rubel Kabiraj, Uttayge Adolescent Group Member, Mukaidul Islam- Ananda Adolescent Group Member took part in the discussion session. They all expressed their feelings stating the damages caused by SIDR. They also expressed their small steps which they took for their family and others for saving lives. In their discussion they also disclosed about the relief initiatives taken by other organization and people after SIDR in their area.

Shapla Neer Director Yuko Tanaka, Coordinator Mr. Parimal Roy, Executive Director of JJS- ATM Zakir Hossain delivered their speech and condoled. They stated, “if there is preparedness for cyclone or any disaster, damages and casualties can be reduced.” They said, “we are the people of disaster prone area. So disaster will come. But we have to take preparation for reducing the disaster damages.”