Reports and Pamphlets

The adverse impacts of climate change are already threatening communities around the world. Over the last century the level of carbon dioxide has increased by 25 per cent. Developed countries are mainly liable for the climate crisis. And this problem is devastating environment and biodiversity, damaging people’s life and livelihoods around the globe. Climate change victims are increasing in number every day. It is alarming that there is no obligation for states to recognize the international and external displacement of people due to climate change and other environmental issues.

A study shows that 95 per cent of deaths from natural disasters in the last 25 years occurred in developing countries. And $100 billion has been lost every year due to these natural disasters. The communities of the developing countries are trying to cope with disasters. And the governments of developing countries are generating money for adaptation and mitigation programmes within their countries.

Climate changes have massively influenced the life of millions of people all over the world. In  South Asia Bangladesh is the most affected country. Increased rainfall, droughts, changes in the monsoon pattern, recurring floods and warm winters are all obvious syndromes of climate change. Past year terrible cyclone Sidr damaged 8.9 million peoples life in Bangladesh. Sea level rise over the last ten years has already eroded 65 per cent of the landmass of Kutubdia (250 square kilometers), Bhola (227 square kilometers) Sandwip (180 square kilometers) islands (NCCB).

In the negotiations Bangladesh has been trying to play a vital role as a disaster prone country. Bangladesh demanded to set-up an International Adaptation Centre in Dhaka under the UN framework. The main objective of the centre would be research on how to adapt to climate change.

Bangladesh has asked for a climate change fund, under the UNFCC, which must be in addition to the existing official development assistant commitments made by rich countries of 0.7 percent of gross national product. Bangladesh also demanded that contributions to the Fund must be mandatory not voluntary. Such funds are needed as compensation from rich countries for the climate damage they have caused.

Aid, in the neo-liberal framework cannot be effective, and it can rarely put positive impact on the ground for which it is supposed to work for the development of the poor people in particular. It is also important that developing countries devise their own means to maximise utilisation of aid effectively denouncing the imposed conditions and at the same time hold lenders and recipient overnments accountable to the people. And for effective aid, there must be the real commitments to realise ownership, harmonisation, alignment and mutual accountability that have been emphasised in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, writes Ahmed Swapan Mahmud

VOICE
2008-02-05

VOICE published 5 briefing reports (4 in English and 1 in Bengali) on the topic of the ADB in Bangladesh especially for the National Consultation.

1. The ADB in Bangladesh: ‘Country Strategy and Programme’: A Corporate Bias
by Tanim Ahmed

Journalist Tanim Ahmed dissects the 4-year development plan proposed by the ADB, exposing the Bank’s clear corporate bias behind its claims of poverty reduction. Through trenchant analysis of their Bangladesh policy, Ahmed summarizes frankly their intentions in the poverty, governance, private sector, agriculture and natural resources, transport, energy and health sectors.

2. Water for Sale? Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority: A project financed by ADB for Privatization
by Tanim Ahmed

In this paper Tanim Ahmed delivers a detailed assessment of the ADB’s proposed privatisation of the water distribution system, starting with a well-constructed history of recent events in water rights. Ahmed breaks down the agenda behind their proposal, including conditionalities and their recommendations to DWASA.

The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness was endorsed on March 2nd, 2005, by more than one hundred signatories such as ministers, heads of agencies and senior officials, including all major donor and recipient governments. It presents a road-map intending to improve the efficiency of international aid. Along with giving the developing countries more power in the formulation and implementation of their policies, the Paris Declaration is based on 5 major principles: ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results, and mutual accountability, that should, if applied, help achieve development outcomes that are more aligned with the developing countries' realities and needs.

For the first time, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness has been translated by VOICE into Bangla, so can now be easily spread amongst the Bangladeshi community.

Click below to access the full Paris Declaration, Bangla version.

VOICE, as a research organization, compiles and publishes several documents every year. These range from small pamphlets and info-briefs to detailed book-length documents, research and seminar papers, and annual reports. In addition, VOICE puts out two regular newsletters:

Counter-Hegemony, a bimonthly English-language newsletter with the latest updates on VOICE activities;

Golaghor ("seed house"), a quarterly newsletter on food and seed sovereignty issues in Bangla.

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AMAR EKUSHEY BOOK FAIR (BOI MELA 2008)

VOICE  conducted a critical and analytical review on the state of the water system in Bangladesh entitled ‘Water Crisis : Strategies for Bangladesh Water Future’ in 2006. The objectives of the study were to critically analyze the overall water situation and build up linkages between the policies and projects based on the theory and practices on the ground. The analysis dealt with the perspective of Bangladesh and identified the problems of the sector, and prepared a set of recommendations for future strategies to further work on the issue.

The study revealed the impacts of water projects and dams, irrigation, and also looked into the issues around water and national policy conflicts, poor people’s access to water, and the crisis people in general are facing. While people’s resistance movements are growing, we must demand safer water and a better system of water management to ensure access to water through a rights based approach.

The study has identified some of the major aspects in the water sector and analyzed where and why water issues become prevalent. It also analyzed the Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project with a view to giving a voice to the local stakeholders in the whole cycle of the project.

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud