Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, has called for a unified national commitment to a just transition across all sectors. Speaking at the “Bangladesh Just Transition Academy: Decent Work for All in a Green Economy” hosted by the International Labour Organization at BICC, Dhaka, Rizwana Hasan said that the term “sustainability” is often overused and poorly defined, leading to risks of greenwashing instead of genuine equity.
She highlighted the urgency for Bangladesh, which is preparing to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category, to adopt robust standards that ensure a meaningful transition. She stressed that the idea of a just transition should not be confined to the energy sector but must include textiles, agriculture, and manufacturing, so all sectors advance together under unified guidelines.
Rizwana critiqued the fragmented nature of current sustainability efforts, noting that although the private sector has started taking steps under pressure from international buyers, there is still no nationally agreed framework or shared understanding of acceptable practices. She warned against over-relying on technological fixes, citing the shift to zigzag kilns in the brick industry as a failed solution that still harms air quality and agriculture.
She urged the government and civil society to confront environmental issues head-on rather than adopt piecemeal fixes. Institutions of higher learning should shape national policy, and public agencies must integrate environmental values into their core functions. “Saying ‘no’ to harmful projects should not be viewed as anti-development,” she asserted.
Rizwana Hasan also called on all government bodies—including local government, transport, and energy ministries—to align their goals for sustainability. She pointed out the contradiction in public attitudes that demand uninterrupted electricity while continuing to waste imported energy, stressing that sustainability must be internalized as a value, not just a policy.
She concluded by expressing hope that international organizations, government, and the private sector would collaborate to create lasting institutional legacies for sustainable development in Bangladesh. Rizwana reaffirmed full support from her ministries to drive a holistic and equitable transition forward.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
