Agenda 21 - Bangladesh

The National Environment Committee, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) and the Ministry of Environment and Forest are responsible for decision-making. The National Environment Committee, headed by the Prime Minister, provides policy guidelines and directives for ensuring environmentally-friendly development activities in the country. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), also headed by the Prime Minister, takes into account the environmental impacts of a particular project before approving it. In addition, environmental screening of all development projects is done by the Ministry of Environment and Forest. All development Ministries, Divisions, and Departments, as well as NGOs, participate.

A National Environmental Action Plan was formulated with a view to promoting national environmental management system standards.

Environmental Impact Assessment cells need to be established and developed in all the major development Ministries, Divisions, and Departments as well as NGOs; financial assistance is necessary for this.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

MAJOR GROUPS

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was ratified by Bangladesh on 6 November 1984, excluding the Clauses 2.13 (a), 16(1)(c) and (f), as they conflict with Shariah law.
The Government is quite aware of the need to empower women and bring them to decision-making at all levels. Articles 28(2) of the Constitution states that women shall have equal rights in all spheres of the State and public life.

Curricula and educational material promoting dissemination of gender-relevant knowledge are being revised. Policies and strategies for achievement of equality in all aspects of society are being drawn up, including issuing a strategy by the year 2000 to eliminate obstacles to full participation of women in sustainable development. Mechanisms are being developed to assess implementation and impact of development and environment policies and programmes on women.

In 1992, the percentage of women in government was 0.46% and in parliament 11.82%. At the local government level the percentage was 13.9 in 1996.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

The goal set in Agenda 21of ensuring that by year 2000 more than 50% of youth -- gender balanced -- have access to appropriate secondary education or vocational training will be reached by the year 2010.
The Department of Youth Development has proposed to allocate Tk.24,650 million under the prespective plan for the period of 1994-2010. Under this plan, a total of 30,000,000 young people will be trained and at least 60% of them will be self-reliant. Since the inception of the Department, 434,802 unemployed youths have been trained in various trades by June 1996, and out of these, 60% were self-employed. The ratio of the trained self-employed youth between male and female youth is 70:30.

The National Youth Federation and the Jatiya Tarum Sangha are the most important fora promoting dialogue between the youth and government at all levels as well as the mechanisms permitting youth access to information and opportunity to present their views on implementing Agenda 21.

The total population of Bangladesh is nearly 120 million, 30% of whom are youth. The Department of Youth Development imparts skill development training to unemployed youth whose unemployment rate in 1992 was 0.5%, and, in 1996, 2.33% (the age group of 15-30-year olds is considered youth in Bangladesh.) The breakdown of the youth population of Bangladesh is as follows:

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

The Government supports local Agenda 21 initiatives, and there are at least four local Agendas 21 involving 0.5% of the population, approximately .2% of whom are women and youth.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

No information is available

Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations

So far, thirty-one ILO conventions have been ratified by the Government of Bangladesh and about forty-six Labour Laws have been enacted. The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments was set up pursuant to the ratification of Convention 81. Safety and health laws like the Factories Act, Workman's Compensation Act, among others, already exist.

A project called Occupational Health Analysis and Accident Prevention Training was financed by the Government, but it is going to end due to lack of additional monetary and expert assistance.

Rapid industrial growth in Bangladesh is under way and workers' education and training at this stage are greatly needed.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

There are governmental policies encouraging the efficiency of resource use, including reuse, recycling, and reduction of waste per unit of economic output.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNITY

Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies

Not much has been changed in the area of improving exchange of knowledge and concerns between the science and technology community and the general public.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

SCIENCE

Among steps taken to enhance scientific understanding, improve long-term scientific assessment, and building of capacity and capability are:

No institutional framework has been established to improve cooperation among scientists by promoting interdisciplinary research programmes and activities. So far no studies have been undertaken to evaluate the scientific knowledge of the people. But for sustainable development, studies relating to this knowledge should be undertaken, and BCSIR is going to conduct such a study.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

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INFORMATION

Agenda 21 Chapters		Very good	Good	Some good data but many gaps	Poor
2.	International cooperation and trade
3.	Combating poverty			X
4.	Changing consumption patterns
5.	Demographic dynamics and sustainability		X
6.	Human health
7.	Human settlements			X
8.	Integrating E & D in decision-making				X
9.	Protection of the atmosphere				X
10.	Integrated planning and management of land
11.	Combating deforestation			X
12.	Combating desertification and drought
13.	Sustainable mountain development
14.	Sustainable agriculture and rural development
15.	Conservation of biological diversity				X
16.	Biotechnology			X
17.	Oceans, seas, coastal areas and their living				X
18.	Freshwater resources			X
19.	Toxic chemicals				X
20.	Hazardous wastes				X
21.	Solid wastes			X
22.	Radioactive wastes
24.	Women in sustainable development				X
25.	Children and youth			X
26.	Indigenous people
27.	Non-governmental organizations
28.	Local authorities
29.	Workers and trade unions				X
30.	Business and industry
31.	Scientific and technological community
32.	Farmers
33.	Financial resources and mechanisms
34.	Technology, cooperation and capacity-building			X
35.	Science for sustainable development			X
36.	Education, public awareness and training		X
37.	International cooperation for capacity-building
38.	International institutional arrangements
39.	International legal instruments
40.	Information for decision-making			X

INTERNATIONAL LAW

Information for Bangladesh regarding this topic may be found in other issue areas, for example, atmosphere, biodiversity and desertification.

This information is based on Bangladesh's submission to the 5th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997. Last update: 1 April 1997

INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH

INTEGRATED DECISION-MAKING

MAJOR GROUPS

SCIENCE

INFORMATION

INTERNATIONAL LAW