Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, emphasized that environmental protection must be given the highest priority when approving large-scale development projects. “Objections raised by the Ministry of Environment should not be viewed as mere resistance, but as legitimate interventions for sustainable development,” she asserted.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at the opening session of the 4th International Conference on Urban and Regional Planning (ICURP) 2025, hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) at the Nawab Ali Senate Auditorium, University of Dhaka, she stated, “There is no alternative to bringing every inch of the country’s land under a comprehensive planning framework.”
Advisor Rizwana Hasan pointed out that laws and regulations alone are not sufficient for environmental protection; a shift in values and perspectives is equally necessary. She urged all ministries of the government to adopt environmentally responsible approaches in their activities. “In approving housing projects, for instance, the opinions of the Ministry of Agriculture must be seriously considered. Likewise, the environmental and social impacts of urban plans should be assessed across all relevant sectors,” she added.
Highlighting institutional limitations, she observed, “Authorities like RAJUK cannot tackle these challenges single-handedly. Every relevant institution must be empowered, and active local participation is vital for effective implementation.” She also noted the alarming threat to biodiversity due to unplanned management and stressed that real accountability should be enforced against those who finance and profit from hill-cutting activities, rather than only targeting the workers.
Distinguished guests at the event included Adilur Rahman Khan, Advisor to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Md. Nazrul Islam, Secretary of the same ministry; Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat; Professor Dr. Md. Rezaul Karim, Vice Chancellor of Khulna University; and BIP General Secretary and ICURP 2025 Convener, Planner Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan.