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Brief History

1998 July 10: BEN is launched on July 10.

1998-1999: BEN takes the initiative to hold, the first International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN-1). POROSH, BUET, and CEN join BEN to be four main organizers of this conference. Another about 50 pro-environment universities and organizations join them as co- and associate organizers.

1999 June: BEN holds its first meeting at Emory University, Altanta, USA

2000 January: ICBEN-1 is held and proves to be a huge success. Both the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Opposition Leader Begum Khaleda Zia join the conference. ICBEN-1 adopts Dhaka Declaration 2000 on Bangladesh environment, containing analysis of all major environmental issues of Bangladesh and policy recommendations about how to solve them.

2000 July: BAPA is launched

2000: BEN launches, in collaboration with Initiative for People’s Development (IPD), a community-based action project on “Barrel Composting of Household Waste.” The project involved separation of the organic part of urban household waste and its processing into organic manure through a process of airification using barrels with appropriate openings. The project was launched at Bhashantek slum area of Dhaka city and at the Open University campus at Gazipur.

2000: BEN participates in the rally opposing the Buriganga River encroachment by Sena Kalyan Shansthya. This rally gives rise to the Buriganga Bachao Andolon, which subsequently became the mother of all river saving movements across the country.

2000 December: The volume, Bangladesh Environment 2000, is published, containing the papers and proceedings of ICBEN-1.

2001: BEN begins to form the Expert Panels.

2002: As a result of efforts by BAPA, BEN, and other pro-environment organizations, government takes steps to introduce unleaded gasoline, to remove two-stroke engine vehicles from the streets of major cities, and to re-impose the ban on the use of plastic bags.

2002 December: The second International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN-2) is held. BAPA enters a new stage of its organizational development and starts forming branches outside Dhaka city (i.e. in the districts).

2003: BEN, BAPA, and other pro-environment organizations campaign against the Indian River Linking Project (IRLP), which aims at transferring water from the Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers toward western and south India. BEN sends a memorandum to the Indian President opposing IRLP.

2004: BEN, BAPA, and other pro-environment organizations hold International Conference on Regional Cooperation on Transboundary Rivers (ICRCTR), with large participation of river experts and activists from India, Nepal, and other countries. The conference adopts resolution urging all countries of the sub-continent to adopt the Ecological Approach to rivers instead of the current Commercial Approach.

2005: BEN Energy Panel prepares the BEN Energy Report, providing an analysis of Bangladesh’s energy situation and putting forward a pro-environment and pro-people energy strategy. The report is sent to BAPA, other pro-environment organizations and individuals, and to the policymakers in Bangladesh.

2006: BEN and BAPA hold national conference on rivers. It adopts the BAPA-BEN Resolution on Rivers, advocating the Open Approach to rivers (a derivative of the Ecological Approach) instead of the current Cordon Approach (a derivative of the Commercial Approach to rivers). The conference also forms the Jatiyo Nodo Rakkhya Andolon (National Movement to Save the Rivers), under the auspices of BAPA.

2006: BAPA and BEN hold the national conference on energy issues of Bangladesh. The conference endorses the BEN Energy Report and adopts BAPA-BEN Resolution on Energy reflecting the analysis and recommendations offered in BEN Energy Report..

2007 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment forces of Bangladesh hold Special Conference on Indigenous People and Bangladesh Environment. The conference proves to be the largest and most representative gathering of indigenous peoples’ leaders from both hilly areas and plain land. The conference adopts the Resolution on Indigenous Peoples and Forests.

2008 July: BEN holds a special event celebrating 10 years of its work. BEN leaders from different parts of the USA and the world join this event held in New York, USA.

2009 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment organizations hold the Special Conference on Climate Change and Bangladesh Development Strategy: Domestic Tasks and International Cooperation, January 2, 2009. The conference adopts the resolution on “Climate Changes and the Tasks for Bangladesh.”

2010 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment organizations of the country organize the Third International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN-3). The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Opposition Leader Begum Khaleda Zia both attend the meeting. The conference adopts Dhaka Declaration 2010, containing analysis and recommendations regarding all major environmental problems of the country.

2011 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment organizations of the country, organized the special conference on “Urbanization, Traffic Jam and Bangladesh Environment.” The conference adopts the Resolution on Urbanization and Bangladesh environment.

2012 May: BEN holds a special rally on front of the United Nations Headquarter in New York to protest against the Indian River Linking Project. A memorandum containing the arguments against this project is sent to the UN Secretary General.

2013 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment organizations of Bangladesh, held the International Conference on Water Resources in South Asia: Conflict to Cooperation (WARSA-CC), with large participation of river experts and activists from India, Nepal, and other countries. The conference adopts resolution on sustainable and fair use of water resources of South Asia.

2014 January: BAPA and BEN, together with other pro-environment organizations of Bangladesh, held a special conference on Environment Movement and Organization. The conference focused on the organizational issues of the environment movement and considered ways of dealing with the issues and strengthening the movement all across the country.

2014 September: BEN participated in the historic march for Climate Action held in New York City.

2015 January: BAPA, BEN, and other pro-environment organizations held special conference on Environment Acts and Policy Implementation Problems. The conference examined the problems of implementation of pro-environment laws and policies that the government adopted in response to the campaign waged by BAPA, BEN, and other pro-environment organizations. The conference adopted the Resolution on Environmental Acts and Policy Implementation Problems, reflecting the analysis and the recommendations made at the conference.

2017 January: Special Conference on Sustainable Development & Environment  was held 14-15 January 2017 at Krishibid Institution of Bangladesh (KIB), Krishi Khamar Road, Farmgate, Dhaka.

2018 June: 20th Anniversary of BEN held at Jackson Heights, New York, USA on Saturday, June 30, 2018. The anniversary event provided an opportunity to look back BEN’s works, successes, challenges since its start in 1998. Experts, activists, members, supporters presented their work and told their stories at the day-long event. The event was free and open to all.

2019 January: A very successful “Special Conference on Delta Plan 2100 and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh” was held in Dhaka on January 11-12, 2019 organized by BAPA and BEN, in association with universities and pro-environment organizations of Bangladesh. A spirited debate took place on the merits and demerits of “Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100” that the Government of Bangladesh has prepared, with technical and financial assistance of the Government of the Netherlands. This debate continues. The mere fact that such a debate could be initiated was a victory, because up until then there was no serious debate and discussion about this hugely important plan.

2020 January: BAPA-BEN conference on “Political Effectiveness of the Environment Movement in Bangladesh (PEEM)” was held on January 4, 2020 at Stamford University campus located in Dhanmondi (Road 11/A, House 84), Dhaka.

2020 December: Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) held the 4th International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN) on December 26-27, 2020. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held virtually.

2022 February: BAPA-BEN held their annual conference 2022 on 11-12 February 2022. The conference theme was “Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development.” The conference was held in hybrid mode (in-person and virtual) from the physical venue at Stamford University Bangladesh, Siddheswari, Dhaka.

2023 January: BAPA-BEN held an environment rally (পরিবেশ সমাবেশ) on January 13 at the Central Shaheed Minar at Dhaka. Special Conference on Haors, Rivers, and Beels of Bangladesh was held on January 14 at the Science Annex Building, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

© 2015 Bangladesh Environment Network