A five-day Asia-Pacific and Commonwealth environmental Journalists conference will be-Sn on September 14 at BARD in omilla, reports BSS.

The theme of the conference is "Water and Environment: Role of the Media." The Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists (AFEJ) and the Commonwealth Environmental Journalists Association (CEJA) will jointly organise the conference.

Bangladesh for the first time is going to host such a high-profile international conference in which environmental watchdogs and experts from 42 countries will participate.

Environment and Forest Minister Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will inaugurate the Comi-Ila Congress.

UNEP regional director Nirmal Andrews. ADB's Environment Division Chief Dr KF Jalal. ESCAP's environment division chief Dr Rezaul Karim and environment secretary of Bangladesh Syed Marghub Murshed will attend as special guests.

Journalist AZM Enayetullah Khan will deliver the lecture at the inaugural session, which will also be addressed by AFEJ chairman Dr. Dharman Wick-rameratne. CEJA Secretary General Quamrul Islam Chowdhury. UNDP's Shireen Kamal Sayeed and FEJB member Khondokar Monirul Alam.

FEJB is hosting the congress in cooperation with the sustainable environment management programme (SEMP) of the Environment Ministry. UNDP. UNEP. ADB, World Bank. USAID. Friends of the Earth and the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands.

The Forum of Environment Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB) is the host organisation.