Experts call for effort to improve livelihoods
The government should back up its master plan of developing the haor region with sufficient budgetary allocation, experts said yesterday.
They also stressed the need for co-ordination among the government bodies and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to improve the livelihoods of people in the haor areas.
The comments came at a seminar on budget allocation for haors, organised by the Haor Advocacy Platform at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka yesterday, to mark World Wetland Day.
The government in May last year approved a 20-year master plan comprising around 135 projects, aiming to develop the haor areas and improve the livelihoods of people.
“The people of that region do not see benefits of the different development activities carried out by the government bodies and NGOs due to lack of co-ordination among them,” said Matiur Rahman, a lawmaker.
The resources of the haor region will have to be leveraged for the sake of country’s economic growth, he said.
“The government must have political will and proper planning to develop that region,” he added.
Shah Zikrul Ahmed, another lawmaker of haor region, suggested continued negotiation with the government for sufficient budgetary allocation.
Hassan Shahriar, president emeritus of Commonwealth Journalist Association (CJA), called for greater participation of lawmakers from the haor region in national budget formulation process.
Sharifuzzaman Sharif, joint convenor of Haor Advocacy Platform, emphasised providing nutrition, education, communication and other facilities.
-With The Daily Star input
