Former minister sees Concern’s work in Bangladesh

FORMER Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Green Party TD, John Gormley, was in Bangladesh recently to see the work of Concern Worldwide on the ground.

The charity was marking 40 years since the first volunteers, who have returned to the country, went out to help in the 1972 emergency.

The visit was to enable them to see for themselves the progress that has been made in the meantime and to honour those who have been working for Concern in Bangladesh over the last four decades.

Because of his long-time interest in environmental issues Mr Gormley was invited by Concern to join them on their trip.

“I had not realised what a large organisation Concern is before going to Bangladesh but I was really taken with the size and the quality of the work it does in the country,

? Mr Gormley said

“Indeed, one could not be but impressed with what they are doing.

“Concern is addressing people’s immediate needs and helping adapt to climate change. It was great to see how Concern is working with the Bangladeshi government in so many different aspects concerning climate change.

“I didn’t see evidence of malnourished children or disease. Indeed, I was often struck by how well turned out the local children were. I was also impressed by the energy and entrepreneurial spirit of the Bangladeshi people.

?

Retired Air Vice Marshall AK Khandker, representing the Bangladeshi government, addressed the Concern group. He admitted his country is the third largest exporter of garments in the world but he also emphasised how the country still needs Concern.

There is a huge population increase in the capital, Dhaka. One thousand new people come to live in the city every day. The country lies on a fault line and the former Environment Minister was left in no doubt that all the variations in monsoon and drought patterns are influenced by climate change.

“Any blip and the country could be in deep trouble,’ he explained.

“Concern’s model is to help people adapt. I’d like to see Concern help Bangladesh move to renewable energy.

“There is no silver bullet when it comes to arresting climate change but I am convinced it is in the developing world we have to crack the problem and I’d love to see Concern take on the issue.

“People who are sceptical about climate change and its effects are dangerously wrong. They are simply in denial,

? he insisted.

Mr Gormley joined the rest of the team as they visited the world’s largest mangrove forest in the Sunderbans in southern Bangladesh. It covers an area of 6,000 square kilometres and numbers tigers and monkeys among its habitat.

“When I say we visited it, we were able to see it from the edges as people are not allowed enter,

? Mr Gormley explained.

“Also it is extremely dense and the mud underfoot makes walking almost impossible.

“Yes, we saw monkeys but none of the 250 to 300 tigers who live there.

“It is important that the forest is preserved and the Bangladesh government is playing an important role in doing this.

?

Mr Gormley added that he was struck by the Concern volunteers who had gone out to the country at the time of the emergency in 1972

“They were mostly from rural Ireland and it is quite extraordinary how they stepped up to the plate,

? he remarked.

“Most of them were nurses. During our visit they kept exchanging notes on how back in 1972 there was simply no infrastructure in the country, the roads were almost non-existent and there was terrible poverty all over the country.

“It is not at all patronising to say that the story of Concern in Bangladesh is the story of the extraordinary work ordinary people did.

?

This year Concern is spending

?¬7.86 million in Bangladesh and employs a staff of 99 people, all but seven being Bangladeshi.