Dialogue in Rajshahi: Eight-Point Pledge to Protect the Barendra Region

Policymakers, researchers and stakeholders have adopted an eight-point pledge to protect the environment, biodiversity and natural resources of the Barendra region, tackle its water crisis and ensure sustainable development. Emphasis was placed on coordinated initiatives by the government, local administration, development partners and civil society to implement the pledges.

The pledges were adopted on Saturday at a high-level policy dialogue organised by Youth in Research and Action for Social Change (URICH) at Victoria Convention Hall in Terokhadia, Rajshahi city. The chief guest was Dr S. M. Ziauddin Haider, special assistant to the prime minister on health.

The eight points include setting limits on groundwater extraction, ensuring an accountable and non-discriminatory irrigation system, recovering canals and ponds and increasing the use of surface water, cultivating crops that need less water, and ensuring farmers' freedom.

They also pledged health protection during heatwaves and droughts, protection of the rights of women and marginalised communities, coordination among government agencies, a permanent budget allocation, and stronger monitoring with the participation of local people.

In his speech as chief guest, Dr S. M. Ziauddin Haider said everyone must work together to tackle climate change. Living a healthy and good life is a human right, and protecting endangered lives and nature is everyone's responsibility. How the impact of climate change falls especially on women and children must be identified and awareness raised, he said.

Rajshahi City Corporation administrator Md Mahfuzur Rahman Riton said the government has planned to plant 250 million trees in the next five years to maintain environmental balance. He stressed planting more trees in the Barendra region to tackle drought.

Reserved women's seat MP Mahmuda Habiba said the Barendra region is at risk as the groundwater level keeps falling. Policy-level plans must be implemented to tackle this situation, and social resistance against desertification must also be built, she said.

Professor Md Golam Mostafa, director of the Institute of Environmental Science at Rajshahi University, presented the keynote paper at the event. In the second session, panel discussions and roundtables, participants presented problems and recommendations on agriculture, gender, the water crisis, indigenous communities, health, livelihoods and the economy, drought, and intense heatwaves and cold waves.

In his closing speech, URICH founding director Mehedi Hasan Hridoy said implementing the 'Barendra Declaration 2026' is essential to ensure sustainable water use, social justice and the rights of local people in the Barendra region. He called on the government, local administration, development partners and civil society to work in a coordinated way for this.

Also present at the dialogue were Rajshahi-5 MP Nazrul Islam Mondal, Naogaon-1 MP Md Mostafizur Rahman, Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation chairman Mohammad Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, BRAC University researcher Mosammat Roufa Khanam, Rajshahi University professors Kazi Robiul Alam, Parvez Azharul Haque and Radia Awal Trisha, among other invited guests.