Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said reforms in climate finance must prioritise community needs, institutional capacity, and transparency.
“Bangladesh cannot afford a system where process outweighs outcomes. We need faster delivery, stronger planning, better coordination with international partners, and a funding framework that protects vulnerable citizens,” she said, expressing hope for an actionable national strategy emerging from the consultation.
Speaking during the consultation workshop named “National Climate Finance Strategy Formulation for Bangladesh,” which was conducted at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel here, the environment adviser made the statements.
In order to determine the financial pathways required to address Bangladesh’s growing climate vulnerabilities, the workshop brought together senior government officials, development partners, and climate finance experts, such as AKM Sohel, Additional Secretary and UN Wing Chief, Economic Relations Division, and Nayoka Martinez Bündström, First Secretary (Environment and Climate Change) & Deputy Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Sweden.
Speaking as the chief guest, Rizwana remembered that the idea of “new and additional” contributions from historically responsible and technologically sophisticated economies gave rise to the global climate financing commitment.
“Over the years, these commitments have been diluted. Many countries most responsible for climate crises still deny established science. That denial makes climate finance more complex and profoundly unjust,” she said.
She also pointed out that while a few countries continue to uphold their commitments, others use climate narratives selectively.
At the national level, the climate change adviser highlighted disproportionate budget allocation patterns.
“Every year, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change receives the lowest allocation, while mega-infrastructure projects receive priority.
Adaptation, waste management, and community-level resilience remain underfunded,” she stated.
Rizwana further regretted that Bangladesh has not yet established a functioning national waste management system even after 54 years of independence.
“We cannot claim adaptation readiness while ignoring foundational weaknesses,” she added.
The adviser said institutional strengthening must precede greater financial inflow.
“Money alone is not enough. Agencies must have planning capacity, competent teams, and efficient mechanisms. Even awareness material takes months due to procedural delays. If processes become the objective, outcomes will inevitably suffer,” she remarked.
She called on the Ministry of Finance to provide openness while streamlining procedural layers.
She emphasized the role of the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP), which is backed by Sweden, UNDP, AFD, and other organizations, in reference to new institutional arrangements.
“BCDP needs to become the primary forum for coordination. It must establish strategic direction through working groups on project creation, foreign funding, domestic finance, and monitoring, she stated.
Rizwana emphasized the necessity of sufficient technology, qualified personnel, and a separate workspace for the BCDP Secretariat.
She also informed participants that access procedures for the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund have been restructured, enabling NGOs to apply jointly with relevant ministries or departments.
“This allows government institutions to benefit from grassroots reach while civil society gains meaningful policy engagement,” she noted.
Calling for equity-based allocation, the environment adviser reiterated the urgency of directing greater resources to adaptation.
“In river-erosion belts, saline regions, and drought-affected areas, hundreds of applications come to us, yet only a fraction can be supported. Investment in protecting vulnerable citizens brings far greater economic return than adding another expressway,” she said, warning that tagging unrelated expenditure such as defence as climate finance “undermines accountability and credibility.”
Later, on Human Rights Day 2025, Adviser Rizwana Hasan gave a speech at a program called “Strengthening Bangladesh’s Commitment to Justice and Rights for All,” which was hosted at Hotel InterContinental.
The administration is dedicated to maintaining human rights and guaranteeing justice, she said.
She stated that the recently formed Police Commission, which acts as an institutional forum for grievance redress, will now consider complaints against law enforcement organizations.
She pointed out that this mechanism may become a historic accomplishment if it were run by capable and unbiased people.
She also emphasized Bangladesh’s transition to a more organized democratic system.
“We have initiated reforms within policing. Progress has also been made in protecting environmental and forest rights. The conduct of future leadership will determine how the country moves forward. But at the very least, due to the space created for freedom of expression, unilateral decisions without accountability will no longer remain easy,” she said, adding that necessary legal reforms are being developed and inclusive progress remains the primary objective.
Dr Asif Nazrul, Adviser, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Adilur Rahman Khan, Adviser, Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Stefan Liller, UNDP Bangladesh; and Dr. Hafiz Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, were also present.
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