Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the country's hardworking citizens to reinvigorate the environment-conservation movement with diligence, sincerity and dedication, reports BSS.

"Let us all ensure a safe and secure future for ourselves, our families and our nation.’ she said while addressing the national function marking the World Environment Day at the Osmany Memorial auditorium in Dhaka yesterday afternoon. The function was organised by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.

Referring to the theme of this year's World Environment Day 'The Peoples: United for the Global Environment," the Prime Minister said, this slogan will motivate the inhabitants of bur planet to face the environmental problems jointly as members of the same

family.

Begum Zia said due to withdrawal of water from the international rivers flowing through Bangladesh, our agricultural and industrial production are being hampered.

The rivers and canals, she said, are drying up. navigation is becoming difficult and desertification has started due to drought and rise in temperature.

To solve these problems, the Prime Minister said, the countries of the region should undertake planned, coordinated and effeclive programmes jointly.

Begum Zia regretted that we human beings were mainly responsible for environmental degradation worldwide. She said. environmental pollution is now a threat for the entire mankind.

she said the industrialisa-

tion of the developed countries and their wasteful luxurious living system are main causes for this serious environmental threat.

Begum Zia said depletion of the Ozone layer. Greenhouse Effect, climatic changes, desertification. water and air pollution and erosion of soil are endangering the very future of our planet.

The Prime Minister said Ihe developed world is mainly responsible for the environmental catastrophe and since the beginning of the industrial revolution, they have been damaging the environment Indiscriminately.

Begum Zia said the industrialised countries are constantly emitting harmful gases and chemicals into the atmosphere. rivers and seas.

As a consequence of their luxurious lifestyle, she said, ilie quantity ol Carbon Dioxide and Chloro-Fluro Carbon (CFC) in the atmosphere are constantly on the rise and the environment of the planet is thus becoming polluted and the sea level is rising due to global warming.

The Prime Minister said poverty has further exacerbated the environmental problem worldwide. The Rio conference held In 1992 has identified poverty as a major hindered to the environmental development, she reminded.