Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said Bangladesh has begun essential administrative and legal reforms to strengthen environmental governance, but meaningful transformation will require sustained effort, time and political continuity.

Speaking at the biennial general meeting of Friends of Earth International at BRAC CDM in Savar on Wednesday, she noted that Bangladesh’s low environmental performance ranking cannot be reversed overnight.

“When a country ranks 179 out of 180, it does not climb to 50th in a single year. That does not happen overnight,” she said.

Rizwana explained that if Bangladesh maintains its current pace for five to seven years and moves up even to the 70s, an elected government will be better positioned to continue the process.
The interim administration, she said, inherited a near-collapsed system that was “neither responsive nor functioning.”

“Our first challenge was to make the system minimally functional, then initiate change. We have only begun that journey and are far from completion. But crucial steps have been taken and these must continue beyond this interim period,” she added.On accountability, the adviser underscored that justice for victims of political violence remains an immediate priority.

She also emphasised that the upcoming February election is central to the broader transition.“We are confident that people from all walks of life will participate,” she said.

Highlighting recent legislative progress, Rizwana pointed to two newly passed forest laws that ban further encroachment into natural forests and recognise forest-dependent communities as custodians of local ecosystems. A wetland protection law is also expected to be passed soon.
Drawing attention to the environmental condition of Savar, she said the area has been officially declared a degraded zone.

While Bangladesh has long topped global air pollution charts, she noted that corrective measures have already begun, including restoration initiatives in degraded areas.She said brick kilns responsible for local pollution are being relocated after due process.

“Workers will not lose employment; they will shift to agriculture-linked work at designated sites,” she assured.
Rizwana also noted that Bangladesh is no longer at the bottom of environmental performance indices, attributing the progress to improved urban conditions and greater transparency in governance.

“Communication between government and citizens has increased, access to information has expanded and there is now broader participation and freedom of expression,” she said. A total of 85 delegates from 62 countries are attending the eleven-day international conference.