Bangladesh environmental groups slam political parties’ “unrealistic” climate manifestos ahead of historic election

As Bangladesh prepares for its first national election since the dramatic 2024 uprising that toppled the Awami League government, environmental groups are expressing deep disappointment with political parties’ climate commitments. The February 12th parliamentary election represents a crucial opportunity to reverse 15 years of policies that critics blame for accelerating environmental destruction across the South Asian nation.

Major opposition parties have outlined ambitious environmental goals in their election manifestos, including massive reforestation campaigns, transitions to renewable energy, stricter pollution controls, and relocating industrial development away from wildlife habitats. However, conservation experts argue these promises lack substance and practical implementation strategies.

“The environmental protection and climate change mitigation plans mentioned in the manifestos are not clear to us,” said Arafat Rahman, general secretary of the Bangladesh Biodiversity Conservation Federation (BBCF), an umbrella organization representing multiple environmental groups. The BBCF recently hosted a national dialogue in Dhaka, where speakers emphasized that Bangladesh has consistently failed to protect its environment despite having environmental laws and regulatory agencies in place.

The conservation federation’s keynote statement highlighted weak political commitment and absent institutional accountability as key factors behind the country’s environmental failures. Environmental groups are now calling for political parties to provide “clear, understandable and enforceable commitments” rather than vague promises, as Bangladesh faces mounting climate challenges including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss that threaten millions of citizens’ livelihoods.