Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said, "Out of 154 countries, 100 countries do not have any plan on climate change. Everyone in the world says that Bangladesh is a role model." However, according to the plan, the country needs 534 billion dollars by 2050 to combat climate change. International financial support is essential to finance this massive project.

Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said this on the second day of the UN Climate Adaptation Conference National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Expo 2024 held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Monday (April 23) afternoon at the 'Advancement of National Climate Plans of Bangladesh' session.

The Minister said, there was a time when developed countries used to talk about climate change in other developing countries, least developed countries, underdeveloped countries and small island states, including Bangladesh. But now developed countries also have to think about climate change. So, climate change is a global issue, not just Bangladesh alone. Despite being a small country, Bangladesh is successfully dealing with the impact of climate change, so everyone in the world sees Bangladesh as a role model.

However, according to our plan, Bangladesh needs 534 billion by 2050 to tackle climate change. It is impossible for the government of Bangladesh alone to provide this huge amount of money. Therefore, international financial support is essential for the implementation of the climate plan. He also said that the World Bank and other international organizations working on financial loan support for climate change should change their perspective on loan support.

He also said that Bangladesh is committed to working together with international partners to build climate resilience. Together with all the countries participating in NAP Expo 2024, we are presenting the experience of how we have worked, the activities we have done to combat the impact of climate change in our country. In addition, the purpose of NAP Expo 2024 is to present the issue of climate change as a pillar at the upcoming COP conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In his speech, the Minister also highlighted Bangladesh's leadership in global climate adaptation, including Bangladesh's significant progress in developing and implementing the National Climate Plan.

"Advancement of National Climate Plans of Bangladesh" session was presided over by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Farhina Ahmed. Malik Fida A Khan, Executive Director, CEGIS; AKM Sohail, Additional Secretary, ERD, and Chair, International Climate Finance Cell; Kennel DELUSCA, Ph.D., ITAP Member, Green Climate Fund; Dr. M. Asaduzzaman spoke as a climate expert panelist on the challenges, opportunities and lessons learned in NAP formulation and implementation in Bangladesh. Dharitri Kumar Sarkar, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, and Mirza Shawkat Ali, Director, Department of Environment, presented the Bangladesh National Adaptation Plan 2023-2050.

The work has not been completed even 10 years after taking the initiative to set up a water treatment plant at a cost of Tk. 6 crore to supply safe and pure water to the households of the Lama Pourashava of Bandarban.

Residents of Lama Municipality in Bandarban still depend on water from rivers, mountain streams, springs and tube wells. As a result, the area remains prone to various water-borne diseases. In 2013, Bandarban Public Health and Engineering Department started the supply work by extracting water from Matamuhuri river and treating it, but the project has not been completed and the public suffering is still there.

In this, Tk. 6 crore have been allocated by the government for the construction of projects to meet the water needs of the hill communities, but there is no trace.

Sohrab Hossain, the Executive Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department of Bandarban, who was in charge at that time, said that the construction cost had increased while implementing the project. Revised estimate has been sent to Ministry of Planning. The contractor did not complete the project despite paying the bills to the company on time. At present I am not in the service, the one who is doing the duty there can say better.

Bandarban Public Health Engineering Department Engineer Anupam Dey said that in the light of reality, the project cost has increased by an additional Tk. 1 crore 87 lakh. The project cannot be completed due to lack of this amount of money. When asked how the contractor is withdrawing the entire amount, he said that he does not know.

It is learnt that during the financial year 2013-14, the project was started by Public Health Engineering at a cost of Tk. 6 crore under the water supply system development program in Lama Pourasahva. As the scope of work increased, it was revised and increased to Tk. 7 crore 87 lakh. Tk. 1 crore 87 lakhs project work is stopped due to non-approval of the Ministry of Planning and Finance.

According to local sources, in the project, M/s Ratan Sen Tangnchagya Contractor Company got the work order for construction of water treatment plant with capacity of 100 cubic meters per hour and laying pipe line through 4 packages. Tk. 3 crores have already been spent on the project.

According to the contractor, the work of 4 packages has been completed at a cost of Tk. 88 lakh 61 thousand taka for laying the pipe line. Due to lack of allocation, the work of a package of Tk. 42 lakh 49 thousand could not be completed. Besides, no mechanical, machineries and electrical works of the water treatment plant project have been done.

Lama Pourashava Mayor Zahirul Islam said that safe water is very important for Lama hill township. So if the project is launched it is possible to solve the water problem.

Abdur Razzak, Sub Assistant Engineer of Lama Upazila Public Health Engineering, said that problems have arisen due to mind-boggling projects without regard to government regulations and lack of supervision from higher authorities. If the Dhaka office wrote several times to the Bandarban Engineer to inform about the status of the project, no reply was given. As a result of which this project has become deadlocked.

Md. Ibrahim, a local resident, said, We had boundless hope as the Department of Public Health Engineering started the project to provide safe drinking water to the residents of Lama. As a result of the project being abandoned after doing some work, there is a waste of government money on the one hand and there is extreme frustration among the local residents on the other hand. Safe drinking water has been strongly demanded to protect the local people from suffering.

24th April 2013 at 9 am suddenly the countrymen witnessed a big accident. A building named Rana Plaza collapsed. More than a thousand people lost their lives. The number of injured is about 2500. Many of the injured were crippled for life.

It has been 10 years since the mentioned Rana Plaza tragedy. Many have forgotten sadness. But how are the injured? We went in front of Rana Plaza to find out.

Going to the surface, it can be seen that a pillar has been built in front of Rana Plaza in memory of the martyrs, but it is lying in careless neglect. Car parking in front and garbage dump in back. After a while, pedestrians are going to answer the call of nature.

Farooq Hossain was one of the injured that day. He had a shop under the Rana Plaza building. He was also injured in the accident that day and lost the function of two fingers. But he did not get any compensation because he was not a garment worker.

After a long treatment, he is now trying to get back on his feet. Farooq Hossain told Barta24.com with regret that I was sitting in the shop that day. There was a customer, I was making tea. But suddenly we felt something like an earthquake and saw the building moving. I immediately tried to run away, but when a pillar of the building hit my hand, two fingers of my hand were completely destroyed. But in this incident, many people got various kinds of help, but I did not get any help. For a long time, I have spent my days without my daughter-in-law. Many journalists have come and interviewed before, but got no help.

Rikta is a garment worker who survived the accident. Having lost her right hand, she is now living a helpless life at his in-laws' house in the village. She has lost half of her ability to work. She was speechless when she still remembered that memory. While searching for her, a Barta24.com reporter spoke to her family. Rikta's father-in-law told about those miserable 72 hours that day.

He said, my son's wife was stuck in this building for 72 hours. At first we thought we might be dead. But after three days I saw the face of my son's wife. I couldn't contain myself when my son's wife called me daddy while stuck. I am only asking Allah for the life of my daughter-in-law. Then I stood by myself and cut Rika's right hand up to the elbow.

Rikta was pregnant at the time of the accident. Currently she has a daughter aged 9/10 years. At present she cannot do any work properly alone. But thank Allah she is still alive. When asked whether she received compensation, he said, I received some compensation at that time, but it was very little. I heard there will be more. But he has no further information.

Demanding construction of a building for the workers where the Rana Plaza building was, he said that due to careless neglect, the place has turned into a wasteland. It would have been better if they had reserved a residence for the workers in this place, provided accommodation to the workers. Many people are still living a subhuman life.

Local labor leader Rafiqul Islam Sujan told Barta24.com that due to lack of maintenance and renovation, people are littering this area of Rana Plaza. Besides, street people urinate here while walking, which is disrespectful to the workers.

He also urged the government and BGMEA to take necessary measures to rehabilitate the injured-killed workers and their families and provide medical treatment to those still undergoing treatment. That is our expectation.

Savar upazila Nirbahi Officer Rahul Chand could not be found in the office to talk about this. Despite contacting him several times on the phone, it was not possible to get any statement from him.

Former Police Superintendent Babul Akhter boarded a hotel in Cox's Bazar with his wife Mahmuda Khanam alias Mitu. An Indian woman came into another room next to it. Mitu saw Babul twice in a row in an objectionable state with that woman. And that is why she was subjected to mental torture and later planned murder.

On Monday (April 23), in the court of Chattogram's third additional metropolitan session judge Md. Jasimuddin, Mitu’s mother Shaheda Mosharraf gave this information in her testimony.

Shaheda Musharraf said, on April 26, 2002, my eldest daughter Mahmuda Khanam Mitu got married to Babul Akhtar. Babul Akhter was unemployed at that time. After marriage, their relationship was not so good from the very beginning, it was rough. Later Babul Akhtar joined the police. Then transferred as ASP (Additional Superintendent of Police) to Cox's Bazar. There, Babul fell in love with a woman of Indian origin.

He also said that one day Babul Akhtar took Mitu to a hotel in Cox's Bazar. The woman also got up in the next room. In that woman's room, Babul Akhtar was seen in an offensive state by Mitu. Then Mitu asked him, what is he doing here? Babul told Mitu that he is working on the laptop to go abroad. Mitu felt very sad to see both of them in this condition. She was there for a while. As the kids are alone, Mitu comes to their room. After the kids went to sleep, she fell asleep too.

Describing seeing him again in an offensive condition late at night, he said, Mitu woke up around 3 am. Babul Akhter was still not in Mitu's room. When Mitu went to the woman's room again, she found them both in an offensive state. Mitu came to the room crying and called me. Then I told her, you come. Mitu then said, my sons and daughters will think me bad. So I trust in Allah.

While testifying, Shaheda Musharraf said that Babul Akhtar came to Bangladesh three to four times during his stay abroad (on mission). However, even after returning to the country, he did not go to the house, i.e. to Mitu or his children. After completing the mission, he went to China. Sitting there, Babul planned to kill Mitu.

Mitu had a business. Mitu was killed with Tk. three lakh from the business. Babul Akhtar came to our house after Mitu died. He was in our house for six months. Sitting there, he interacted with the accused. On June 24 (2016) Babul Akhtar was taken to the DB office. Then Babul left the job from there. I then asked him, why quit the job? Then he said, I have to quit my job because of Mitu's murder. I told him, is the matter of your leaving your job for the trial of Mitu's murder?, he said.

Shaheda Musharraf said that Babul Akhtar bought weapons for Musa with Tk. 70 thousand to kill Mitu. Musa's wife said this. Musa's wife asked him, did you kill Mitu? Musa then told his wife, Babul Akhtar will crossfire me if I don't kill him. Babul Akhtar told us that the accused of Mitu's murder have been arrested. I asked to crossfire.

Shaheda also said that accused Wasim, Anwar were arrested. A few days later Bhola was caught. After being arrested, he gave a statement in court - Musa killed Mitu on the orders of Babul Akhtar. A month and a half after Mitu's death, we came to Chattogram to hold Milad at the house where she was staying. A few days later, accused Kalu and Shahjahan were arrested. After we came to Chattogram, it seems that Babul Akhtar killed Mitu in a premeditated manner. He filed a case of Mitu's murder himself with false information. Later, the investigating officer of the case told my husband, you filed a case against Babul Akhtar. On May 12, 2021, Mitu's father  filed a case at Panchlaish police station.

Babul Akhtar's mother called Mitu's mother Shaheda 15 days after her death (in 2017). She called me and said, my son (Babul) killed Mitu. You forgive him. Then I said to her (Babul's mother), if Babul died, would you have said this? I have told this to the investigating officer.

Retired police inspector Mohiuddin Mahmud testified first after the start of testimony in this sensational case at 12 noon today who was in charge of Panchlaish police station (OC) of the city at the time of the incident. Then Shaheda Musharraf stood in the courtroom to testify.

It is to be noted that on the morning of June 5, 2016, Mitu, the wife of Chattogram Superintendent of Police Babul Akhtar, was shot and hacked to death while going to drop her son in the school bus at GEC intersection in Chittagong city. SP Babul was transferred from Chattogram a few days before the incident. The murder took place in Chattogram soon after he left to join his workplace in Dhaka.

After three and a half years of investigation, the DB Police could not find any clues, so the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) got the charge of investigating the case on the orders of the court in January 2020. Then in May 2021, PBI said that wife Mitu was killed in Babul Akhtar's 'plan'. For this, Babul "gave Tk. three lakh through people" to the killers.

Later after giving the final report in Babul's case Mitu's father filed another case. However, Babul's case was revived after that case did not reach the court. On September 13, 2023, the PBI filed a charge sheet in the court in that case. Seven people including Babul were accused. On October 10 of that year, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Chattogram accepted the complaint. On March 13, 2023, the court ordered the trial to be started by framing charges against the accused. The testimony began on April 9 of that year. Mitu's father Mosharraf Hossain testified as the first witness.