SBCP Watch Group review and planning meetings held

On January 22 and 23, Review and Planning meetings of the SBCP Watch Group were held in presence of Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin, Associate Program Coordinator, Southwest Region, of AAB at the Conference Room of CDP. Resolutions were adopted to enhance the membership of the SBCP, collect and prepare various SBCP related documents, to prepare a Position Paper of the SBCP Watch Group and to prepare to face the Asian Development Bank at its AGM to be held in May next at Istambul in Turkey, were adopted at the meeting. Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin also presented the plan for the Second Phase of the activities of the SBCP Watch Group and Budget for the same.

CDP also compiled Newspaper Clippings on the activities of the SBCP Watch and published a book, entitled: “Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project: Peoples’ Opinions in Bangladesh.”

CDP’S ACTIVITIES IN THE SUNDARBAN IMPACT ZONE
CDP is implementing a Project to raise awareness for the need to conserve biodiversity not only in the Sundarbans but in the entire Southwest Coastal Region. This project is being implemented with a Grant from The Tides Foundation through the Global Greengrants Fund of the USA.

CDP’s activities in the Sundarbans impact zone

CDP is implementing a Project to raise awareness for the need to conserve Biodiversity not only in the Sundarbans but in the entire Southwest Coastal Region. This project is being implemented with a Grant from The Tides Foundation through the Global Greengrants Fund of the USA.  CDP is also implementing a project to enhance the capacity of local grassroots NGOs and CBOs to serve the disadvantaged people of the Southwest Coastal Region with a grant from Stichting Overal of The Netherlands.

The Peoples’ River Commission (PRC)

CDP initiated this project to form a Peoples’ River Commission comprising NGOs, CBOs, Civil Society Initiatives and Activists in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal in order to influence the governments concerned to form a Joint River Commission of the three countries for optimum utilization of the waters of the Ganges and its tributaries.

On the way back from the Asian Social Forum Seminars in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh India, Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu, Coordinator of CDP and Mr. Shashanka Saadi of Action Aid Bangladesh, held a meeting with a Network of several NGOs active in West Bengal and held discussions with them in respect of the PRC. They assured their support, as their area too, had suffered vast devastation by the flood of 2000, which had affected the Southwestern border districts of Bangladesh.

All of you are aware of the ADB funded project implementing in Bangladesh named SBCP (Sundarban Bio-diversity Conservation Project). Last year, 35 AGM of ADB we, on behalf of SBCP watch group, participated in the meeting but did not raise our voice to review the project design. But now we are more organized and already we have done some activities to prove the project was not well designed, which will carry the negative impact on Sundarban dwellers as well as destroy the livelihood of poor people. Already we launched a campaign with the following activities:

• Prepare a position paper on SBCP (done)​

• Produce primary observation on SBCP by SBCP watch group (done)

• Produce a fact sheet (done)

• Study on SBCP with some critical objectives relate to SBCP (ongoing)

• Signature campaign

• Consultation with SBCP impact zone dwellers and documented (ongoing) -Poster campaign on Impact of SBCP

• Media campaign on prediction of SBCP

• Develop a prediction group on ADB’s pipeline project in the coastal belt in Bangladesh, etc.

As I discussed with you at Shanghai, ADB’s 35th annual meeting that, in Bangladesh, we are trying to develop a watch group on SBCP (Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project) funded by ADB.

Already we formed this and also go through the total project, I shared with you earlier on our position, principles, and arguments on the SBCP project.

In the meantime, the watch group tries to consult with SBCP impact zone dwellers regarding this issue. I will time to time inform the forum member on ADB, Here I attached an article on SBCP published on national dailies which already know ADB headquarters personnel.

The watch group trying to prepare himself to claim their argument to ADB (first- ADB resident mission in Bangladesh) and if fail to receive any kind of response from ADB side to redesign the project, then the group obviously present their argument on next ADB AGM will be held at Istambul.

Protest against ADB’s activities in Bangladesh

On the occasion of ADB president’s visit to Bangladesh, a protest human chain program was held at Shahabag More (in front of National Museum)on 31st October 2002. The protest program was organized by LOKOJ (okoj@aitlbd.net), Bangla Praxis, and Binirman Andol.

Shanghai Meeting 2002

You know that we already started some work on SBCP (Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project ) at Bangladesh funded by ADB. We produced a primary observation report on that project through consultation with project impact zone area people, civil society, go through the ADB”s project document, etc. I just attached the primary report for your comments and also your suggestion on how we go ahead based on your campaign experience.

After coming back from Shanghai, China I feel to design a strong campaign and to involve more and more people to raise our voice strongly. I feel you are all can provide your suggestions for me.

Last year, 35 AGM of ADB we, on behalf of the SBCP watch group, participated in the meeting but did not raise our voice to review the project design. 

NGOs form SBCP watch group

From the very planning stage of the project, the Environment-Conscious NGOs, Environmental Activists, Journalists, and other concerned Civic leaders became interested in it. They expressed their opinions as to how the project could be able to conserve the bio-diversity of the SRF and reduce poverty in the region inhabited by people dependent on the Sundarbans. But the ADB and SBCP went ahead with the project without paying any heed to the opinions and advice of the above-mentioned groups and individuals. This led to critical statements by various forums and criticisms of various aspects and activities of the project began to appear in the newspapers.

Accordingly, CDP, in association with Uttaran of Tala, Satkhira, JJS of Khulna, and LOKOJ of Dhana formed a group titled SBCP Watch Group with the cooperation of Action Aid Bangladesh to conduct aa critical review of the project in November 2002.

On January 22 and 23, Review and Planning meetings of the SBCP Watch Group were held in presence of Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin, Associate Program Coordinator, Southwest Region, of AAB at the Conference Room of CDP. Resolutions were adopted to enhance the membership of the SBCP, collect and prepare various SBCP related documents, to prepare a Position Paper of the SBCP Watch Group and to prepare to face the Asian Development Bank at its AGM to be held in May next at Istambul in Turkey, were adopted at the meeting. Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin also presented the plan for the Second Phase of the activities of the SBCP Watch Group and Budget for the same.

On the way back from the Asian Social Forum Seminars in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh India, Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu, Coordinator of CDP, and Mr. Shashanka Saadi of Action Aid Bangladesh, held a meeting with a group of Activists of the Calcutta University at Kolkata on January 8, 2003. The group led by Dr. Ratan Khasnabis has plans to hold an International Seminar on the Sundarbans sometime in late March or early April this year and has invited a delegation from Bangladesh.

On January 9, they also met with a group of West Bengal NGOs at Barasat in 24 Parganas and shared experiences with them.
 

CDP also compiled Newspaper Clippings on the activities of the SBCP Watch and published a Book entitled: “Sundarban Bio-diversity Conservation Project: Peoples’ Opinions” (in Bangla).

CDP raises concerns at Geneva Annual Meeting

May 1998

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After successfully advocating with the ADB by participating in the meeting of the Board of Governors of ADB at Geneva, Switzerland from April 28 to May 3, 1998, the CDP began to undertake various studies and advocacy programs related to environment and environment-related socio-economic and humanitarian issues, such as advocacy for an environment-friendly shrimp policy (against the environment-damaging extensive shrimp culture now in practice).

The Upokulio Unnayan Shahojogy, known in English as Coastal Development Partnership or CDP, was established on January 1, 1997, to conduct Advocacy for the incorporation of Peoples’ Alternative Proposal of Tidal River Management (TRM) Concept in the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s (BWDB).

ADB funded USD 62 million Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project (KJDRP). The purpose of the project was to eliminate the water-logging in the polders created by the Coastal Embankment Project which was implemented during the 1960s.

We have also initiated social movements to realize the rights of the landless to be settled on state-owned agricultural lands in cooperation with the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD).

We are also working in cooperation with the Programme Development Office of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (PDO-ICZM), which is a government initiative to integrate the activities of various ministries.

The PADMA Network of 30 NGOs in the Ganges Dependent Area (GDA) of Bangladesh seeks to ensure peoples’ participation in all major river/water management and other development projects in the region.

Another Network, Citizens’ Committee for Conservation of Coastal Environment (CCCCE) is active to raise awareness of the citizens to conserve the region’s general environment. We successfully advocated for banning the manufacture, sale, and use of polythene shopping bags, which pollutes the environment. The CCCCE also observes Earthday and World Environment Day with rallies, seminars, environmental fairs, and cultural programs.