Who is the owner of the Environment?

“When I was visiting the Amazon, I saw the forest is crying. I felt, they don't have owner, they don't have parents! Everybody are exploiting and misusing as they want, as they can… From this realization I become ecologist. Now I am conscious! I have brought huge land in Pantanal and making example for the humanity. It is very necessary to take care the environment with parental heart, otherwise an undesirable crises is coming soon for the descendents, from food to existence…” I was moved to hear this story of Dr. Sun Maung to be an ecologist. In moribund moment of global environment true environment entrepreneur is very necessary who will be responsible for protecting and loving the environment with commitment.

Not only Bangladesh but also all Southern developing countries' (except Bhutan) the environment is destroying with the patronization of the Government by the name of so called development and modernization. The latest example in Bangladesh is incidence “Phulbari Open-Pit”. Government should plays the parental rule for the environment protection, but is violating own responsibilities; only target “Coal Mining”. The company and administration both are crazy, denied the existence of local peoples and environment! At last the giant Asia Energy back to home with price of eight lives and peace-breaking agitation.

Looking to past history, national level pesticide promotion, so called social forestry, drying marshland by drilling cannels soon are important event to destroy the environmental harmony in Bangladesh. Local species of rice, fish even banana are rare now in Bangladesh. The villagers can not imagine catching fish together in public cannels. Black scenes, the national heritage, reserve forest become plain land. On the social forest issue the government objective "To re-place the existing irregular, depleted and less productive forests by a man-made plantation forest with more valuable and productive species suited to the soil and country's requirements".

My observation, the river and forest situation indicates one country's culture and economics, law and order status and future vision to change. I saw in Japan, the forest, natural water body has been take care by local government with the effective participation of the community. NHK regularly broadcast nature and environment related programs. As a result there is raises a national level conscious, “environment is part of our life.” But in Bangladesh practicing reverse senses. Although in grassroots level not yet education reached as satisfactory level, but the environmental conscious good compare to that of leaders and policy makers. I know the crying story of villagers to cut his oldest tree. There also have to story forest burning in Chittagong by local politician and terrors.

Nowadays protectors become Goliath. We have to find out, how so called modern agriculture and policies damage indigenous variety and local knowledge systems; how and why the forests of Bangladesh have quickly vanished; and how mistaken development activities have caused destruction to wildlife biodiversity and genetic resources.

This the time to unit all environmental platforms and start national environmental movement against, “capturing mountain, banishing public forest and misusing of natural resources”. To establish environmental justice need effective constitutional law and political decision and national unity. We have to establish ownership relationship with environment with the emotion that we are part of environment. Otherwise nature gives equal response negatively which would be harmful for our lives.

Shahjahan Siraj
Editor, UnnayanNews