24 August 2009: Today Equity and Justice Working Group (EquityBD) along with 14 other rights organizations (ASO, Bangladesh Trade Union Centre, BNNRC, BDPC, Krishani Sova, CAB, CSRL, COAST, MFTD, Prodip, Swadin Bangla Garments Srtamik Kormachari Federation, Unnayan Anneshan and VOICE) organized a mass meeting and rally at capital’s Shagbagh area protesting the conspiracy of the establishing authoritative role of the World Bank on the Management of country’s Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for climate change adaptation. First there was a rally and later there was procession paraded up to University Teachers Student Centre.

Speakers in the demonstration meeting said that, with the support from the DFID, last caretaker government initiated establishment of MDTF while the then finance advisor proposed WB to manage and administer the implementation of the MDTF. We though the present democratic government will not follow the donor guided ‘trail’ of the last caretaker government and will establish country’s sovereign and democratic ownership on MDTF. But have been informed that being misguided by country’s ‘donor darling’ consultants ands bureaucrats government is going to hand-over MDTF management responsibilities to the World Bank.

Speakers said that the government’s Economic Relations Division already drafted roles and responsibilities of the WB in the ‘Draft Concept Note’ on the MDTF. As per the concept note, the WB would get USD 8 million for its job. The WB also supposed to utilize this fund for different projects implementation, which is quite contradictory to the rules of business of the Bank. The speakers argued that why to pay huge amount of fees to the WB while the government is capable to manage this fund.

Mr Zakir Hossian, Executive Director of Nagarik Uddog, said the climate adaptation financing should be based on ‘polluter pay and exploiter pay principle’ and we should not accept donor driven policies and guideline in the establishment as well as management of climate adaptation fund for Bangladesh.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Convener, EquityBD said, utilizing this scope the World Bank would impress more privatization and liberalization to the country which may create more pauperization and poverty.

Zizaul Haque Mukta of CSRL said that the donors should not question about the capacity of the country in managing MDTF which is around 20 million as Bangladesh is currently managing annual budget of more than 7500 million USD. Besides, Bangladesh has proven track record in managing multi-donor trust fund through creation of foundation.

Md Shamsuddoha, Secretary of EquityBd, questioned using the word ‘donor fund’; climate change adaptation fund should not be termed as donor fund; this is not like charity of grant. This should be treated as compensation and debt repayment of the rich countries that they owe to the poor countries for over exploitation of the ecological space.

Among other, Faruk Ahmed of MFTD, Shamima Akter of Aso, Sharif A Kafi of BDPC, Foyaz Hossian of Protikit, Sanat Kumar Bhowmik of COAST Trust and Mustafa Kamal Aknads of EquityBD spoke in the protest meeting.

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