Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) was launched in 2000 to create a nationwide, united, and strong civic movement to protect Bangladesh’s environment. The environment of Bangladesh is deteriorating fast. Urban air quality is plummeting. Groundwater is contaminated. Surface water bodies are getting polluted, encroached, and degraded. Solid, fluid, gaseous, and hazardous wastes are overflowing. Forests and open spaces are disappearing. Noise is increasing. Bio-persity is vanishing. Health conditions are worsening due to pollution. Unless these processes of degradation are slowed down and reversed, the country’s economic, social, cultural, and human progress will be gradually hampered, and Bangladesh will become unlivable in the long-term.

Unfortunately, the efforts by the government are not proving adequate to meet the threat. In fact, ill conceived and ill implemented government projects, corruption and poor governance are often aggravating the situation. On the other hand, isolated efforts by various non-governmental and civic organizations are also proving inadequate to meet the challenge.

In this backdrop, pro-environment forces of Bangladesh gathered at the International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN) in January 2000 to discuss Bangladesh’s environmental problems and chart out actions for the future. The conference adopted Dhaka Declaration on Bangladesh Environment 2000 and suggested formation of a unified platform for all sincere pro-environment forces of the country to join and work together. Following the decisions of ICBEN 2000, BAPA was formed.