Bangladesh stands firm on climate action: Sharmeen

Adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Sharmeen S Murshid has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s strong commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change.

“We are one ecosystem—from summit to sea. What happens to the mountain happens to the village, the city, and ultimately to all of us,” she added.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid said this at the plenary session of the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad, a permanent dialogue forum recently held in Kathmandu and organised by the Government of Nepal.

The theme of the event was “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity”.

In her national statement on 17 May, Adviser Sharmeen emphasised that all nations are interconnected within a single ecosystem and stressed the importance of collective action.

She also called for joint monitoring, cross-border early warning systems, shared water governance, collaborative science, and collective courage.

Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid met the Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli at the Prime Minister’s residence.

 

They discussed cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal on different issues. Both leaders emphasised the need for collaboration in addressing the global challenges, including the consequences of climate change.

The prime minister of Nepal praised the work of the interim government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Adviser Sharmeen lauded the leadership of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and highlighted the achievements of Nepal in women's empowerment. She also extended an invitation to the prime minister to visit Bangladesh.

On the sidelines of the “Sagarmatha Sambaad”, the adviser held bilateral meetings with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister) of the United Kingdom, Baroness Susan Hayman, and Assistant Foreign Minister for Energy and Sustainability Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Abdulla Balalaa.

Adviser Sharmeen is leading the Bangladesh delegation at the first edition of the permanent dialogue forum – “Sagarmatha Sambaad” – taking place from 16 to 8 May 2025.

The Sagarmatha Sambaad is a multi-stakeholder dialogue forum committed to deliberating on the most prominent issues of global, regional and national significance.

This year’s dialogue forum is attended by ministers from different countries, including China, India, Bhutan, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

The adviser also visited the Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu and was briefed by the embassy officials regarding the activities of the embassy.