Equity and Justice working group (EquityBD), a civic right group of Bangladesh,  has demanded the reviewed Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (CCSAP) must made public, transparent and participatory. At a press conference at National Press Club on July 21, 2009 Leaders of the group has also demanded that the CCSAP has to be prepared in a participatory way taking the opinions from victim coastal people.

The much talked CCSAP had been prepared during the middle of 2008 to submit in climate change London conference. British government contributed 65 millions of pound sterling to create Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF). There were criticisms against CCSAP, and also protest against the then Finance Advisor Mirza Azizul’s proposal on World Bank to manage MDTF. In the beginning of this year External Resource Division of the government, prepared a concept note reiterated the Mirza Azizul’s position, even proposed $ 8 millions to World Bank as fund management charges, also proposed government officials to work in fund secretariat in World Bank in taking leave from job.

During April 2009 the present government has formed a committee to review the CCSAP. It is reported that the committee has submitted the report by the end of June, and they have proposed the government to manage the fund solely. EquityBD apprehended that, it is the reason; vested interest group of bureaucrats does not want to make the revised CCSAP public.

EquityBD has mentioned that it is the obligation for the government in view of article 4 and 6 of the UNFCCC agreement. They also mentioned that government should also respect to the RTI act in making the information open. EquityBD has demanded that the plan should be discussed and approved in parliament. In respect of contents of the paper, they also demanded that the paper must include different social issues, like how to tackle corruptions. Speakers mentioned that if it is not made public, then it will be a betrayal to the people as review of the document has done as a result of people’s movement.

The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowhdhury, Convener of the group.Question and answers were facilitated by Ahmed Swapan of VOICE, Syed Mahbubul Alam of WBB, Syed Aminul Haque and Shawkat Ali Tutul of EquityBD. Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD has presented the position paper.