Bangladesh should ensure proper use of funds: Denmark

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh government and the lending nations and agencies should take concerted efforts for better use of development funds to reduce poverty in the country, Danish ambassador in Dhaka Einar H Jensen said on Wednesday.

He also said that Bangladesh will have to play a ‘very crucial role’ at the coming global climate conference at Copenhagen, pinpointing the least developed countries’ woes caused by global warming due to the spewing of excessive carbons by the developed nations.

Denmark is hosting the climate conference widely known as COP-15 from December 8-18 in its capital.

‘We want to put more funds to support Bangladesh as it now has a poverty reduction strategy. The government and the donors can now work together for better use of development funds. At present donors support only the health and education sectors, and doing bits for other sectors in a scattered way,’ Jensen said at a meet-the-reporters programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

When asked whether Denmark would support Bangladesh’s stance at the conference, he said, ‘You need to raise your voice loudly for the LDCs as floods, cyclones, storm surges, salinity intrusion and droughts are likely to become more frequent and severe in the years to come.

Asked whether his country supports Bangladesh’s demand for allocating more ‘grants, not loan, in addition to regular overseas development assistance’ to the countries facing adverse impacts of carbon emission by relatively developed economies, he said, ‘Funds would not be a problem for Bangladesh for adaptation with climate change’ But you need to streamline the funds and spend on focused areas for enhancing adaptation capacity.’

He said climate change would threaten the significant social and economic achievements that Bangladesh has made over more than three decades and many people in coastal areas would be displaced with the rise of sea level.

The Danish ambassador supported the point of rehabilitation of the huge climate refugees but did not explain how to deal with the task.

Some 15,000 to 18,000 people from developed and developing countries will converge on Copenhagen to hold brainstorming sessions on December 8-18, trying to figure out bailout packages for the climate victims as well as putting lids on the levels of the greenhouse gas emissions.

He praised Bangladesh’s strategy and action plan for adapting to climate change and setting up its own funds worth US$ 100 million.

In reply to a question, Jensen said the UK and Denmark placed funds amounting to around US$ 120 million in the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and more funds would be forthcoming.

On trade and investment, he said right now 21 Danish companies in shipbuilding and fisheries sector and sustainable energy are visiting Bangladesh to explore the opportunities for setting up joint ventures with Bangladeshi companies and to start production here.

DRU president Shamim Ahmad moderated the press interaction and its general secretary Pathick Shaha made introductory remarks.