Staff Reporter
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, emphasized the importance of building a sustainable nation by placing nature at the heart of development. “We must shape our national philosophy by listening to everyone,” she said. “If we, as a nation, can adopt the right philosophy, environmental sustainability will no longer remain a distant goal.”

Speaking as the Chief Guest at a discussion titled “The Intersection of Governance, Environmental Sustainability, Youth Empowerment”, held at North South University today (Saturday), Advisor Rizwana said, “It is our duty to think about future generations — to listen to them and work for them. When we center our efforts on the next generation, good governance will follow naturally, and sustainability will become a reality.”

“We are on a path toward building a new Bangladesh out of an old system,” she noted. “We are trying to understand the language of our youth. We must ensure clean air for them and promote sustainable consumption patterns. Before everything else, we must be clear about what we truly want.”
Highlighting the role of youth, she added, “Young people are a major force today. While we failed to protest many injustices, they overcame fear and raised their voices. We must build a beautiful Bangladesh for them.”

Distinguished speakers at the event included eminent academic and economist Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Chairman of BRAC, and Dr. Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, among others.