BANGLADESH ASKS FOR TASK FORCE TO HELP ISLAMIC COUNTRIES FACE CLIMATE CHANGE

farhana+adila

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Wajed has asked the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the World
Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) to form a taskforce to support Islamic countries
affected by climate change.

She said the problem was hindering development programmes and efforts to
attain the United Nations-driven Millennium Development Goals.

"Bangladesh is among the frontline countries impacted by climate change.
Increasing frequency of floods, cyclones, droughts, encroaching salinity,
melting of glaciers and rising sea levels are seriously affecting many of our
countries represented here," she said at the 6th WIEF here.

Bangladesh was trying to implement its 134 climate change action plans,
including dredging of all major rivers, she said.

"Apart from that, we are also making efforts to build roads, railways,
highways, bridges, a deepsea port and generate power and explore gas and oil."


Sheikh Hasina also invited global companies to invest in the newly initiated
"Digital Bangladesh 2012 Programme" aimed at turning the country into an
information technology-based and knowledge-driven middle-income country in a
decade.

To achieve the goal, the government was planning to expand basic ICT
services to remote rural communities and introduce social and health care
services through the Internet.

Schools would also be equipped with computers and Internet connectivity
while the government would establish e-governance for greater transparency and
accountability, she added.

-- BERNAMA