By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau)
Bangladesh has firmly reiterated its stance for grant-based rather than loan-based international climate finance to combat the devastating impacts of climate change. This position was underscored at the opening ceremony of the two-day National Community-Based Organization (CBO) Summit 2026, which commenced at the Krishibid Institution in Dhaka.
Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, sharply criticized the current discriminatory structure of international climate finance, labeling it ‘farcical.’
Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forests and Climate Change, is visiting the stalls of 12 organizations from the coastal region exhibiting eco-friendly products at the two-day summit aimed at increasing climate awareness and influencing policymaking. Photo- Collected.
‘Bangladesh’s contribution to climate change is negligible. Yet, having to take loans and repay them to the very countries responsible for damaging our environment is farcical. We must transform global injustice into climate justice. For a long time, we played the role of silent listeners on the international stage. Now, we have started speaking up and raising our voices’, said Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister.
The Crisis and the Catalyst of Local Resistance
Organized by ‘Breaking the Silence’ with support from Oxfam in Bangladesh and financial assistance from Australian Aid, the summit brings together grassroots voices. Despite its minimal carbon emissions, Bangladesh remains at the forefront of global climate vulnerability, routinely facing extreme weather events while being deprived of the necessary funding required to tackle these risks.
Experts at the summit emphasized the indispensable role of local communities and their rights in climate adaptation:
* Value of Indigenous Knowledge: Professor Mahbuba Nasrin from the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, University of Dhaka, argued that instead of short-term, project-based training, emphasis must be placed on local knowledge that flows from generation to generation. Conservation plans must be tailored to the distinct ecosystem of each region.
* Adaptation Champions: Dr. Muhammad Imran Hasan, Head of Climate Justice and Natural Resources Rights at Oxfam in Bangladesh, noted that the coastal and marginalized communities are the true architects behind Bangladesh’s global reputation as an ‘Adaptation Champion.’
* Lack of Recognition: Rokhsana Sultana, Executive Director of Breaking the Silence, expressed frustration that climate change is not a theoretical concept for coastal communities but a daily reality of survival. Yet, CBOs and youth-led organizations- the first responders to disasters- remain inadequately recognized in international climate funds and national policies.
Nature-Based Solutions and Future Blueprints
To tackle the escalating crisis, the Bangladesh government is actively seeking funds from global entities like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to deeply involve local communities in ecological restoration and conservation.
As part of this initiative, a massive plan to plant 20 million mangrove trees this year has been announced. Marginalized communities, particularly women, will be integrated into the care and maintenance of these plantations, fostering ‘Feminist Climate Leadership’ on the ground. However, Govinda Roy, Project Director of the World Bank-funded SUFAL project under the Forest Department, cautioned that there is a limit to climate adaptation, emphasizing the critical need for coordinated global action.
Youth Engagement and Research
The theme for the summit’s first day was ‘Climate Leadership, Research, and Policy Dialogue.’ Farjana Faruk Jhumu, President of Kathpencil, called for a more effective and institutionalized inclusion of youth organizations in climate policy-making.
The event featured research presentations on three critical areas: feminist climate leadership, youth engagement, and locally-led adaptation strategies. Farha Fatima and Sanjid Alam Sifat jointly secured the first prize for their research, while Apurba Dey and Shamima Yasmin won second and third places, respectively.
In addition to policy dialogues, the two-day summit features a photography exhibition and stalls from 12 coastal community-based organizations showcasing eco-friendly products and green initiatives.
Bangladesh’s message to the international community remains unequivocal: to recover from climate damages, the vulnerable nations need just compensation and grants from historical polluters- not the burden of a debt trap.
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The Writer:
Rita Bhowmick Senior Journalist and Staff Corespondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
