Dhaka, the capital, is in the heart of Bangladesh, is the largest and historical city of the country. More than twelve million people live in this busy city. The rickshaws with their ornate decorations and imaginative hand paintings have a special place in Dhaka city’s transport. It is known not only as “the city of rickshaw” and “city of Mosque” but also known for its population density, flood, crime, and pollution, like as other historical cities of the world.

It was established in the 10th century. It was Mughal capital of Bengal from 1608 to 1704. Pre – colonial period, it was a trading center for British French, and Dutch merchants. In 1905 it became capital of Bengal, and in 1956 it became the capital of East Pakistan. During the Bangladesh independence war in 1971 the city endured a catastrophic destruction. The Maga city is located in one of the world’s leading rice- and jute-growing deltaic region of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. During Mughal rule, the finest fabric ‘Dhakaie Muslim’ was famous worldwide, until it was completely destroyed by colonies. The Muslim influence is reflected in the more than 700 mosques, historic architectures, life, food, and traditions of the city.

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ESDO (http://www.esdobd.org): The nationwide environmental activist organization ESDO (Environment and Social Development Organization), promotes environmental development, social welfare at the grassroots and communal levels to solve social and environmental problems on a large scale through education, advocacy and lobbying. It works also to ensure the conservation of bio-diversity and arriving at an ecological equilibrium with inputs for self-management in socio-economic strengthening programs.
Since 1991, ESDO has been working with people from the grassroots level, the urban youth population, the urban lower income group, and government and non-governmental organizations, such as Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the UNDP. It has 48 networking partners both national and international, with whom ESDO shares information and involvement in programs.

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Shahjahan Siraj, a TakingITGlobal member, interviewed Dr. Hossain Shahriar and Siddika Sultana of ESDO on 13 June, 2004. Hossain Shahriar, is an urban ecologist, environmental journalist and Executive Director, ESDO; Siddika Sultana, is the Program Director of ESDO. Present at the interview too was Matsuzaki Misuzu, a Japanese social worker who is based in Bangladesh and helped ESDO translate a documentary Japanese broadcaster NHK made.

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Interview:

Siraj: What is your program in Dhaka?

Hossain Shahriar: We have regularly organized mass awareness, children & youth educational programs on different environmental issues on Dhaka city’s. More over our program focused on environmental education, awareness campaign, policy advocacy & lobbying, linking with human rights & governance using mass media and ICTs.

Siraj: Why are you focusing on Dhaka? What have been your findings? Could you please tell us briefly?

Hossain Shahriar: Due to urbanization the environment’s harmony and balance is facing a critical phase worldwide, strained trying to fulfil the demands of city life. Dhaka is not beyond this status, so we need to work more to protect our city from environmental degradation and create the natural balance.

Because Dhaka is the capital of the country, in our present governance system, national policy formation/reformation and for media campaign, it is very important to initiate the ground work at Dhaka first. If the program becomes streamlined at this city, it can easily expand to another divisional headquarters and other towns as well as influence the whole country.

Siraj: Please tell us about your background and activities.

Hossain Shahriar: We initiated a campaign against the plastic bag use at early 1990s. ESDO was formed with the anti-plastic campaign program. Gradually we moved to educate the young generation on environmental issues. Our main target is building effective and responsible young leadership through environmental education. The full- fledged educational program “creating environmental awareness through education for youth and children” started at early 1995, based in Dhaka.

We have started the comprehensive educational curriculum, which is unique but alternative. The educational process is not conventional, and is practical, following the participatory education method. We focussed on using ICTs for education, skills, learning and policy-intervening processes.

Siraj: Why did you choose environmental (especially plastic usage) issues?

Hossain Shahriar: Initially I was not an expert in environmental issues. My career started in journalism after graduation from Dhaka University in political sciences and a Masters in international relationship from Nehru University at New Delhi. I worked as journalist in weekly Shondani, Bechitra and the Daily Janata. I was encouraged on the environmental issues when I learned ‘Film Direction’ at 1986 at Australia, Melbourne.

On a weekday I was buying some fruit from market and shopkeeper given me with a paper bag. I was wondering to myself, and I requested for a plastic bag, which what I was accustomed in Bangladesh. The shopkeeper replied to me that she was not able to use the plastic bag because it is not good for the health and environment. It was good lesson in my initiative to be an environmental activist, and after this I educated myself about the environmental consequences of using polythene bags and learned that in other Asian cities such as Bangkok, significant strides were being made in eliminating these bags. Since that time I expanded my work to identify the many substances that people use in their everyday lives which are harmful to the environment and could be reduced or eliminated. But it was very difficult task to convince my editor on the issues. The response of my editor, was that “This is about rubbish… plastic bags are very essential in our daily life… You can not do anything to stop it… Please leave it alone and continue to be work on your assigned job…” But I tried to write again, and continue my work on the issues.

At 1998, there was a devastating flood in Dhaka. At that time I was senior editor of Daily Janata. For 25 days the city was underwater! I traveled to every corner of the city. In a corner of Shamoli, there is a low line area but water was not moving, stagnent. I had the question in mind, “Why is the water not moving?” I talked with WASA and City Corporation, but they could not say the cause, they had no idea. But someone said, there is a blockage in the water drainage system. At Shamoli I physically saw the drainage system totally blocked by plastic bags. My photographer and I cleaned a portion of of the plastic cluster and observed the water slowly moving. After that I wrote report – “Water Lagging Cause is Plastic Bags”. At first, nobody agreed with my opinion. After one month, Dhaka WASA admitted that plastic is main cause of water log in the city. That was the striking point of my issue. Based on these experiences, I started a campaign against plastic bag. It was difficult to move the people through news media of that time, without making a social platform and movement. I talked with some of my friends and colleagues in the early 90s and formed the organization ESDO.

To select the environmental issues we have a working ethos: “We are all part of environment, we have to protect and live with highest harmony for our existence. We have to be owners of the environment, not to be exploiters, like external bodies.”

During the banning of plastic use and making laws to prohibit the plastic bag, some professional assassin was recruited by the plastic businessmen to try and kill me. It was fourth attempt on my life, but I was escaped narrowly. They terrify in my personal life by phoning me at home, but they won’t stop my anti-plastic activities unless they kill me. We don’t always know the end results, but we have to go forward.

Siraj: Dhaka is a rising city: many high rise buildings are being developed everyday. What is your observation on this matter?

Siddika Sultana: I quietly don’t support it without considering the engineering and environmental aspects, but including Dhaka, all the cities of Bangladesh are building up with serious violation of the laws. I cannot understand why city corporations and RAWSUK (Dhaka city construction and housing authority) give permission to such types of dangerous construction. Recent accidents at Shakhariri Banzar have happened, where city dwellers live with high risk under an unhealthy and unsecured house system! A number of collapses already has happened! Including the government, all citizens should be aware of such matters. Regarding this we have to change our motivation, way of thinking. Too much dependency on the government, is not good at all. Governments cannot do anything if the citizen isn’t aware and active in protecting life and the environment. I think civil society can play important role to change the situation.

Siraj: Mr. Shahriar, as an urban ecologist, what are your remarks on Dhaka’s life and environmental health conditions?

Hossain Shahriar: The environmental health of Dhaka city is in serious condition. Pregnant mothers are facing especially serious situations. The houses are totally contaminated by different type of chemical gases. The gases generally generated from their kitchen, daily use cookeries, cosmetics, and furniture. Our research finding is that 90% children and mother affected by pollution in which the main cause is the modern apartment system. If you observe, you cannot see any ventilation in the modern apartment. I don’t know why RAWSUK gives permission to such kinds of apartments without proper ventilation systems. We found that this is not only happening to the poor, but the elites are also suffering such kinds of silent pollution. This is happening because of total lack of knowledge and guidance.

There is also a big lack in our city planning system. In Bangladesh, the government follows five year development plans, and their vision is limited only within five years. I think real development cannot be possible with the five years vision, it should be long term. In all developed countries follow long term plans of at least 50 years. Even though governments change, plans don’t change; but in our country government change means all plans change. In such ways, we lose time, wealth, and opportunity. We have environmental laws, but the authorities don’t care about the laws. The city authorities just concentrate on their five years plan and assignments.

Siraj: Dhaka city is quickly expanding in many ways: with such expansion, what type of effects will occur in the environment and modern city life?

Siddika Sultana: Too much expansion of the city distorts the environmental harmony. On the edge of Dhaka, the masses are expanding without considering the environmental balance. The real estate companies are only considering their business. They do not think about future life and environmental conditions. They are not concerned about the environment and bio-diversity. The wildlife (like guest birds that come from Siberia, every winter) animal and fishes who live in the water-bodies are balancing our ecosystem. If the city continues to grow recklessly like this, after 10 years, Dhaka will be a city of material and machine, not of life….

Siraj: What about tree-cutting in the parliament area and Osmani Uddan area?

Hossain Shahriar: The mass destruction of tree at Osmani Uddan is already done. People interested people came and cut trees at midnight, but because of government concerns the cutting is going slowly and in hiding.

There were many beautiful traffic circle (road islands) in Dhaka just a year ago. In front of Romna Perk, there were some big trees, some there for more than 50 years. Suddenly we saw there were no more trees. Within the last three months, in the name of road and traffic system improvement, they demolished all the road islands decorated by green plants. I was very shocked! This is not right way to do development, by destroying the environment. The trees are not just for beauty: they give us oxygen, reduce pollution, and ensure ecological equilibrium.

Recently my colleague Siddika initiated work for a comprehensive plant & tree census. She has group of 1200 students, and they will find all the old trees and medicinal plants of the cities. We will move to protect these trees. We will apply to the government and city to protect the trees.

Siraj: Do you have any ICT-related projects?

Hossain Shahriar: We have an e-group for green club student members. We are also trying link up rural children to city children, within Bangladesh and also in other countries. We have started also an ICT education project in the northern part of Bangladesh at a remote village, named Bathgari. We have established an ICT training centre there to encourage the children and youth. The children of the centre have already become basic computer users. Now we are going to install internet. The children of Bathgari village will be able to communicate with children of Washington. How powerful this digital bridge is! This not one way traffic, this is multi-way traffic. This modern technology can be used not only for entertainment and education, it can be used for communication, social awareness, and multiple purposes.

Siraj: What is your opinion about TakingITGlobal?

Hossain Shahriar: We have links and close relationships with a number of global platforms such as Greenpeace, Waste Conservation Movement, and so on. TIG is a nice and much-needed initiative. I appreciate very much this unprecedented global youth platform. To save our planet we have to work together. We would like to link the young members of our Green Club to the TIG. We can start a joint youth movement here in Bangladesh. If you need any help please feel free to contact with us. I wish best success in the programs of TakingITGlobal.

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Dhaka, 25 June 2004

Note: this interview was taken for TakingItGlobal and published in Panorama on 06 June 2004