Saber Hossain: Bangladesh, France to sign climate adaptation agreement

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said on Wednesday that a climate adaptation agreement will be signed between Bangladesh and France.

"The agreement may cover issues such as protection of people from the adverse impacts of climate change, conservation of biodiversity and capacity building of institutions," said the minister. 

The minister said these things after meeting with the delegation, led by French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy, in his office room of the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday. 

Saber hoped that the draft agreement would be finalized within the next month. 

"Then I think our honourable prime minister and the president of France will sign it," he said.

During his last visit to Bangladesh, the French president had expressed his interest in signing a climate adaptation agreement between France and Bangladesh, the environment minister said.

In response to another question, the minister said: "We want to issue an alert if air pollution goes to a bad level. To tell the public that the air quality we have today is a serious health hazard. So, if they do not have urgent work, they should not go out of the house."

Saber said illegal brick kilns around Dhaka are being demolished to check air pollution. "Tomorrow (Thursday), we will announce a 100-day program. There will be details on these matters," he added. 

French envoy Marie Masdupuy said France's partnership with Bangladesh is deep and strong, while the two countries will work together on climate change, environmental issues and implementation of a national climate plan.