ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) in collaboration with Young People organised the Global Climate Strike for the third time in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Friday (September 24, 2021).
The global climate strike was arranged demanding climate justice for all. AAB’s Resilience and Climate Justice and Young People also arranged the event in order to convey the views of Bangladeshi youths on climate in the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP26) and draw the attention of the world leaders.
Representatives of Young People, including 15 transgenders, joined the event. Besides, nine Local Rights Programmes (LRPs) of ActionAid Bangladesh and two youth platforms-- YouthNet for Climate Justice and Bindu-- also organised the global climate strike on the same date in 19 districts of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh youths in the climate strike raised their voices to reinforce ‘Fridays for Future’ and ‘Global Climate Strike’ and backed in solidarity with the theme of global climate strike ‘Uproot the System’.
In her statement, Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said that young people around the globe want to take COP26 as an opportunity to raise their issues on climate to bring to the global leadership. She said that many countries have not been able to vaccinate their population and the majority of those not vaccinated are young people because of age bars and other factors.
Expressing her doubt, Farah Kabir said that the COP26 is not going to be participatory because of the vaccination issue.
“This restriction is not supportive of participation especially of the young people and COP will not be meaningful if there are no participation of the future generation. Through this climate movement young people around the globe including Bangladesh want to take COP26 as an opportunity to raise their issues on climate to bring to the global leadership”, she added.
The participants of the colorful, sensible and non-violent strike in front the National Press Club raised their demand of the climate justice by showing placards and posters titled ‘There is no planet B’; ‘STOP! Listen to My EARTH’; ‘BURN Borders, NOT Coals’; ‘Treat every crisis as crisis’;’LOVE Trees,PLANT Trees’; and many more.
Referring to the climate scientists, Young People claimed that even half a degree rise of temperature would significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat, higher sea level, causing destruction and poverty for hundreds of millions of people, particularly for the people from the Global South. These effects will affect everyone both rich and poor and be devastating to our most vulnerable people especially the poorest, youngest, children and women.
One of the participants said, “We strike because we have no choice. We are fighting for our future and the future for our next generations.”
The strikers also stated that people from coastal areas, farmers, indigenous people, women and children, are suffering because of climate change. Climate change is also affecting the habitats, health, livelihoods and exacerbating food insecurity. They also urged to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels and ensure climate justice and equity.
