Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. -File Photo

DHAKA, July 3, 2025 (BSS) - Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of 
Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, 
announced proposals to transform forest resource centers into nature learning 
hubs to engage urban youth with biodiversity. 

During a meeting on Thursday, with a high-level Japan International 
Cooperation Agency (JICA) delegation led by its Executive Senior Vice-
President Miyazaki Katsura, at the Bangladesh Secretariat, she also sought 
JICA's support to modernize the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development 
Corporation (BFIDC) for eco-friendly furniture production and expand into new 
markets. 

Additional proposals included upgrading safari parks to global standards and 
enhancing digital forest monitoring to combat illegal logging.

The meeting, rooted in mutual respect and a strong bilateral partnership, 
focused on deepening collaboration in climate change adaptation, biodiversity 
conservation, forest management and sustainable development.

Rizwana Hasan highlighted Bangladesh's push for renewable energy, emphasizing 
solarization of public buildings and referencing past judicial mandates for 
rooftop solar panels. 

She also addressed the ship-breaking industry's environmental and human 
costs, urging Japan to uphold transparency and accountability in future 
cooperation.

Expressing gratitude for Japan's consistent support, the adviser praised 
JICA's track record of early project completion, budget efficiency and public 
trust, notably referencing Japan's handling of the Matarbari project's second 
phase.

Katsura commended Bangladesh's independent development efforts and reaffirmed 
JICA's alignment with global "Zero Poverty" and "Zero Unemployment" goals, as 
well as the Paris Agreement. 

She highlighted JICA's contributions, including the Clean Dhaka initiative, 
and outlined four key areas of climate adaptation support: data-driven 
planning, knowledge-sharing, energy transition, and private-sector financing.

Discussions also covered the Climate Change Trust Fund and the new Bangladesh 
Climate Development Partnership platform to streamline international finance. 

Rizwana proposed a wildlife conservation trust, inviting Japanese 
collaboration.

Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. 
Farhina Ahmed, its Additional Secretaries Mohammad Navid Shafiullah and Md 
Khayrul Hasan, Chief Conservator of Forest Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury and JICA 
officials Yamada Tetsuya, Ichiguchi Tomohide and Miura Mari were present, 
among others, in the meeting.