Environ nu n t and Forest Minlstei S\eda s.qedH Chowd hurv vvstcrdm called upon all to put in their collective efforts to protect and improve environment. alleviate poverty, attain eco-friendly development and create a pollution-free environment. reports BSS.

She was addressing the World Environment Day-2000 national programme at the Os-mani Memorial Hall, organised by Ministry of Environment and Forest. State Minister for Environment A N H Ashlqur Rahman, Environment Secretary Syed Marghub Murshed UNDP Resident Representative Andre Klap. Director General of Department of Environment Mosharraf Hossain and Chairman of Coalition of Environmental NGOs Dr Atiq A Rahman also spoke.

Referring to the theme of this year's Environment Day "2000. The Environment Millennium. Time to Act.' Sajeda Chowdhury said the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has attached a priority to poverty alleviation side by side with the improvement of environment in development planning

She listed different measures taken by the present government in preserving and improving environment including formation of Environment Courts at six divisional head- . quarters, enactment of Environment Conservation Rules 1997. launching Sunderban Bio-dlverslty Project, Air Quality Monitoring Project.

A'Jtiqur Rahman under-s< oird the need for coordlnalrd appioach in protecting the nature and improving the environment.

Marghub Murshed said Environment Ministry has been facing the environmental problems collectively with the civil society.

Andre Klap said environmental thinking must be Integrated in the policy planning and development agenda to help achieve sustainable development

Eailier. Envlronnuiii Minister led a colourful Environ-men! Day pnxesslon In the < ilv and opened (hr day-long Elivl-t < > 111) i < ■ 111 Fair at the Osmani Memorial Hall

Different environmental organisations also observed the day in a befitting manner.

Members of the Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh |FEJB| brought out a procession and held an open discussion on Environmental Degradation: The Role of the Media" at the Osmani Memorial Hall calling the people and bodies of civil society to face the environmental challenges of the current millennium iiiiii cdly with a shared vision

Presided over l>\ FEJB Chairman CJnamiul Islam Chowdhury, the open discussion was paitiiipaled l>\ Di Mahfuzul Haque. Dr Malilmbur Rahman. Molizur Rahman, Khondker Manirul Alam. Ila dlul Alam, Shamlma Chowdhury, Mostafa Kamal Ma-Jumder, Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and Ranjit Datta.

Presided over by CEN Chairperson Dr Atlq Rahman, another discussion session was organised by ADAB on Arsenic and Environment Courts ADAB Chairperson Khushi Kabir and Dr Firoze Ahmed took part.

Hundreds of people Including children, scliool students and women visited different stalls at the Environment Fair

UNB adds: As part of the observance of the World Environment Day. a lively and vibrant rally of some 400 children marched through the city streets yesterday.

The rally oegan at about 1 I am in the Shishu Academy f)remises and terminated in ront of the National Press Club at about 12 In the noon.

Organised by the children's cultural organisation Amra Kuri.' the rally was led by its chief adviser and UNB Chairman Amanullah Khan and joined by its patron A K M Muhituddin. its president Mushtaq Ahmed Liton and other office-bearers and work-

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