This is what leaders of different faiths asked for when participating yesterday in a seminar organized by the archdiocese and World Vision. Bishop Lawrence Subrato Howladar: “Strengthen the three-dimensional relationship between the Creator, nature and human society.” Bangladesh is the seventh country in the world most affected by climate change.
Chattogram () – Promote joint initiatives to protect the environment and fight climate change, from a “religious” perspective. This is what several leaders of different faiths asked for during a seminar entitled “Religious harmony in climate conservation”, held last night in Chittagong, a coastal city in southern Bangladesh and the country’s second city. In their speeches, speakers stressed that human beings are mere “stewards” of God’s house, but too often they have “neglected” this responsibility by forgetting to care for it. However, preserving the environment and caring for the climate requires “reinforcing the three-dimensional relationship between the Creator, nature and society.”
The seminar, organized by the Commission for Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Chittagong and the Karnaphuli Area Program of World Vision, was attended by around 90 people of different faiths. The meeting began with the recitation of passages from the Quran and readings from the Gita, the Tripitaka and the Bible. World Vision Karnaphuli Zone Program Director Johnny Rozario presided and conducted the event.
In his welcome speech, Ambrose Gomes, coordinator of the commission, recalled how God has given man “authority” over creation, of which “he has charged us to care for it and benefit from it.” “However, human beings – he added – have forgotten this duty and limit themselves to enjoying creation without caring for it.”
The Archbishop of Chittagong and president of the Commission for Dialogue, Monsignor Lawrence Subrato Howladar, declared: “To save the climate, we must strengthen the three-dimensional relationship between the Creator, nature and human society.” The prelate then stressed that the distance created in this relationship “due to the degradation of religious values” can be restored through “religious dialogue and harmony.” “The religious values of all confessions and the lifestyles of religious saints require moderation, mutual respect and an attitude of humble repentance and reparation for the damage caused, guaranteeing – he concluded – participation in the care of nature.”
Mohammad Jasim Uddin, professor at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences at the University of Chittagong, warns: “The impact of climate change has been evident in Bangladesh for two decades. Due to its geography, the country is prone to disasters and global warming. has aggravated its severity.” We need – he emphasizes – a collective effort.” The seminar was attended by speakers from various faiths, including Mohammad Nurunnabi Azhari, from the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of the South, who recalled how the Quran teaches the value of preserving the environment. Almighty God “he explained, “he created us as the best of all creatures, so we have a responsibility to take care of this earth. We must be aware of climate conservation.”
Bangladesh, the seventh country in the world most affected by climate change, faces an annual cost of $1 billion due to tropical cyclones and high levels of air pollution, equivalent to 9% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product). . By 2050, climate change could reduce agricultural GDP by a third and force 13.3 million people, mostly women, to migrate internally. Despite the initiatives promoted by the ruling class, starting with the 2021 plan to keep greenhouse gas emissions below the average for developing countries, implementation problems persist. Dhaka, the capital of more than 20 million people, faces severe air pollution, water stagnation, ineffective waste disposal and traffic congestion, compounded by the daily influx of 2,000 migrants and stressed infrastructure, which undermines action. because of the weather.
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