Support to Implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100

During the first ever International Conference on the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100) titled ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 International Conference: Issues and Challenges of Implementation’, there was strong agreement regarding the fact that without the implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan, Bangladesh delta cannot be a resilient and prosperous one. The speakers including the chief guest and the special guest echoed the need and urgency of implementing Delta Plan for building a climate-resilient prosperous Bangladesh and reiterated their commitment and all out support for its full scale implementation. It was stressed that the Government has taken the necessary steps towards this end, by solving the navigation problem, restoring the urban area, building safe guard around coastal areas for ensuring a prosperous delta for the future generations. However, there is a long way to go to achieve full scale implementation of this mega plan.

The speakers opined that organizing this international conference was a very timely initiative and had been found effective in delivering and realizing expected outputs. The speakers highly emphasized follow-up and implementation of the recommendations and suggestions made in the conference, particularly enhancing coordination and collaboration among all the stakeholders, alignment of plans, policies and strategies of the Government, and development partners with BDP 2100, capacity building, institutional and policy reforms, and investing more resources from both domestic and external sources.

The participants agreed that the BDP 2100 is now ready for implementation, and that the time for action has come, requiring specific Government to Government (G2G) and Business to Business (B2B) interventions, involving all stakeholders concerned. The participants also suggested arranging similar events and dialogues for sensitizing stakeholders at all levels about Bangladesh Delta Plan, and accelerating the pace of implementation.

The Delta Conference addressed the issues and major challenges pertaining to implementation of BDP 2100 that will be expected to contribute to enhancing knowledge and understanding of Climate Change Adaptation in practice. The conference was a hybrid event with 650 people attending physically and 500 participants connecting online. The discussions, insights and outcomes from the conference will be included in the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 Knowledge Portal www.bdp2100.gov.bd and in a publication.

The Delta Conference had been an eye-opener for all the policy makers, implementing agencies, sectoral institutions, development partners and the private sector, regarding the issues and challenges of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100.

A Consultation Workshop on ‘Engaging with the Green Climate Fund for Implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) 2100’ held

A Consultation Workshop on ‘Engaging with the Green Climate Fund for Implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) 2100’ was held on the 30th of June 2022, with the assistance of the ‘Support to Implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (SIBDP 2100)’ project of the General Economics Division (GED) of Bangladesh Planning Commission. Dr. Kawser Ahmed, Member (Secretary), GED, was present during the workshop as Chief Guest. The workshop was presided over by Mr. Khan Md. Nurul Amin, Chief (Additional Secretary), GED.

At the outset, Mr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Project Director, SIBDP 2100, conveyed thanks to all the participants for attending the workshop and discussed the agenda. On behalf of the SIBDP 2100 team, Mr. Fahim Faisal presented the concept notes of six potential GCF projects. During the presentation, Mr. Fahim highlighted the importance of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for addressing the impact of climate change in Bangladesh.

During the discussion, the importance of implementing waterway projects through the GCF was emphasized, while the necessity of designing projects through a participatory framework was underscored, particularly any water related projects. It was further mentioned that it is essential to finalize the Accredited Entities for the six GCF proposed projects, and subsequently, these projects need to be developed based on the suggestions of the Accredited Entities. During the project development process, it is imperative to conduct consultations with Bangladesh Planning Commission, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and other government agencies.

The workshop discussants claimed that although Bangladesh has received some GCF funding, it is essential to ensure further allocation as Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, especially additional funding in climate change adaptation. However, it is essential to update the concept notes focusing on economic and social transformation, including recent data for the GCF fund application process. Identifying innovative projects is also essential as such projects have a higher possibility of obtaining GCF funding.

One of the discussants from the Department of Environment (DoI) highlighted the significance of portraying the potential positive environmental impact of the six proposed projects during the application process. For these projects, Bangladesh needs to conduct updated feasibility studies. It is essential to promote nature-based solutions through the GCF projects, as well as to quantify the impact of climate change.

Dr. Md. Akram Hossain Chowdhury from Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) mentioned that GCF is a new concept for DAE. Myriad climatic impacts such as drought and flash floods are severely affecting the agriculture sector of Bangladesh – in fact agriculture is the most affected sector. Ensuring agricultural productivity and soil fertility are of paramount importance to Bangladesh. Therefore, in all the six concept notes, it is essential to include agricultural components and it is crucial to engage DAE in implementing these components.

Mr. Shaikh Md. Sharif Uddin from the Ministry of Shipping claimed that among the six projects presented, four have a dredging component. As Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has significant dredging capacity, BIWTA can be included in these projects. Another discussant emphasized that GCF funding applications must focus on environmental impacts, and although the application process is challenging, Bangladesh must explore this new funding mechanism. The projects need to be multi-sectoral and it is critical to involve different stakeholder groups in these projects.

Ms. Mafruda from Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) shared IDCOL's experience in the GCF fund application process. Although obtaining funds from GCF is difficult, it is not impossible. By submitting a concept note, it is possible to obtain Project Preparation Fund (PPF) from GCF. Usually, for individual projects, GCF provides USD 1-1.5 million PPF. Utilizing this fund makes it possible to conduct a feasibility study and prepare a quality funding application. Recently, IDCOL has developed a separate team for accessing the GCF fund. She also stressed that it would benefit Bangladesh if we could successfully obtain large-scale funding for a single project. For instance, instead of preparing six small-scale funding applications, Bangladesh can club these projects together and prepare a quality funding application for a large project. She also highlighted that Bangladesh needs to leverage private sector expertise in GCF projects.

Mr. Khan Md. Nurul Amin, Chief (Additional Secretary), GED, stated that Bangladesh is gradually becoming self-sufficient in resource mobilization and has recently implemented the Padma Bridge project utilizing its internal resources. Mr. Abdul Baki, Additional Secretary, ERD, reported the remarkable economic progress of Bangladesh in the last decade, reiterating how Bangladesh has in recent times developed its internal resource mobilization ability, while in the past the country was mostly dependent on development partner funding.

Dr. Md. Kawser Ahmed, Member (Secretary), GED, emphasized Bangladesh’s need to develop expertise in implementing large-scale projects. Through the GCF application process, Bangladeshi officials will interact with the GCF board, further enhancing their management capabilities. Instead of applying for several small GCF projects, Bangladesh needs to develop a comprehensive GCF project. In this large-scale project, the components of these proposed small projects can be included.

The workshop was concluded on a positive note, thanking all participants for their valuable inputs.

The first ever International Conference on the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100) titled ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 International Conference: Issues and Challenges of Implementation’ took place on the 26th and 27th of May 2022. The conference comprised a series of events and sessions in Dhaka and aimed to connect relevant national and international communities (government policymakers, thematic and technical specialists, scientists, businesses, financial and governance experts, and other relevant stakeholders) to the body of thought that lead to the establishment of the BDP 2100. It also intended to promote discussions concerning the implementation challenges and alignment of BDP 2100, as well as foster possible actions to ensure effective implementation of the Delta Plan. Furthermore, the conference aimed to provide information about BDP 2100 implementation to a large cross-section of interest groups.

The BDP 2100 Conference was an initiative of the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and prominent partners including The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka, The World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Embassy, The European Union Embassy in Dhaka, and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The BDP 2100 Conference Organizing Committee consisted of GoB representatives from the General Economics Division (GED), Bangladesh Planning Commission. The conference was also supported by the respected members of the Delta Governance Council (DGC), who were involved in supervision, guidance, monitoring, and decision making.

The Hon'ble Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, H.E. Sheikh Hasina, MP, was virtually present to grace the inaugural session as the Chief Guest of the BDP 2100 Conference. The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Shamsul Alam, Hon’ble State Minister, Ministry of Planning; while Dr. Md. Abdur Razzaq, MP, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Agriculture adorned the conference as the Special Guest. H.E. Anne van Leeuwen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Bangladesh and Mr. Zaheed Farooque, MP, Hon’ble State Minister, Ministry of Water Resources, were present during the occasion as the Guests of Honor. The inaugural session was honored by the presence of respected members of the Cabinet, Senior Secretaries, Secretaries and High Officials of the Government, Diplomats, Representatives of Development Partners, NGOs, Private Sector Bodies, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Researchers, Academicians, Experts from Home and Abroad, Journalists and Representatives of various print and electronic media as the guests invited.

The valuable speeches throughout the inaugural session focused and discussed the formulation and implementation processes of BDP 2100, along with the challenges and way forward for effective implementation. The respected speakers further stressed that despite being a country highly vulnerable to natural disasters, Bangladesh has commendably maintained a high degree of economic growth and the formulation and subsequent implementation of the BDP 2100 can be a key driver for success in the years ahead. The speakers further stated that BDP 2100 is only possible if all the relevant stakeholders come together and work alongside each other. It was also highlighted that not only is BDP 2100 a great effort to manage water and land, but also holds significant promise to ensure safety from flooding, water security, water sustainability, river system management, and integrated use of land and water resources, all of which are essential towards achievement of BDP 2100 goals.

The inaugural session also featured intriguing discussions related to sustainability and resilience to climate change, underscoring how Bangladesh has become the only country in the world to establish a 100 years delta plan. The BDP 2100 objective was discussed during the session, focusing on a commonly agreed upon sustainable strategy for an optimum level of water and food security, as well as sustainable growth of Bangladesh, including a comprehensive framework for implementation. It was also mentioned how the Delta Plan serves as an umbrella plan to all other related national and sectoral plans with long term perspective. The discussants also opined that agriculture is one of the main wheels of economic development in Bangladesh, providing food security to 170 million people. Bangladesh can make remarkable progress by using efficient technologies in agriculture, while BDP 2100 can support this feat through economic growth and environmental sustainability, together with proper linkages and policy formulation and enforcement.

The Hon'ble Prime Minister mentioned that despite being in no way responsible for global climate change, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to its negative impacts, and hence BDP 2100 has been formulated to establish a safe, resilient and prosperous country for present and future generations. Water and food security along with all the hotspots have been provided utmost priority in BDP 2100 to sustain Bangladesh’s techno-economic growth. The Hon’ble Prime Minister subsequently summarized the initiatives undertaken by the Government in the environment, climate change and water resource management sectors. She reiterated how Bangladesh, being a delta, has been facing challenges of climate change-induced disasters and how these challenges are likely to exacerbate in the future, establishing the urgent need to build a climate-resilient future and decent living conditions for generations to come. With this context at the forefront and in order to achieve long-term water and food security, and sustained economic growth, the Government of Bangladesh had adopted this techno-economic mega plan based on information, technology and knowledge, added the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

The Hon’ble Prime Minister further stated that Bangladesh, amidst many confronting challenges, has achieved success in several areas – particularly on the socio-economic front and that the country has been on track to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She mentioned that the Government’s strong commitment towards implementation of the Delta Plan and in mobilizing every necessary resource and efforts towards this end. Many projects under BDP 2100 are being implemented by different agencies to secure a prosperous Bangladesh. She also pointed out that implementation of BDP would require about 2.5% of GDP by 2025 and urged that the country’s development partners support the implementation of the Delta Plan. She stressed on cooperation or participation of all at home and abroad, including friendly development partners, and how it is absolutely necessary for exchange of knowledge, experience and technology, as well as financing. The Hon’ble Prime Minister concluded her valuable speech on a positive note, expressing hope that the conference would be a successful one and would prove instrumental in achieving meaningful outcomes to support faster implementation of BDP 2100, mitigating all challenges on that road.

The ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 International Conference: Issues and Challenges of Implementation’ ended with a vote of thanks and appreciation from Dr. Kawser Ahmed, Member (Secretary), GED, Bangladesh Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning.

General Economics Division (GED) of Bangladesh Planning Commission and Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands jointly organized the first international conference on Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 on the 26th and 27th of May 2022 at Pan Paciffic Sonargaon Dhaka.

H.E. Sheikh Hasina, MP, Hon'ble Prime Minister, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh inaugurated the two-day long conference tittled 'Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 International Conference: Issues and Challenges of Implementation' as the Chief Guest.

1 DAY TO GO!

3 DAYS TO GO!

8 DAYS TO GO!

16 DAYS TO GO!

The first International Conference on the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 is going to be held in Dhaka on May 26 and 27, 2022. The Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh Ms. Sheikh Hasina has given her kind consent to attend the event as Chief Guest. This is certainly of profound significance and will surely strengthen the 'meaningful outcomes' we have aimed for.

FINAL DATE OF THE BANGLADESH DELTA CONFERENCE IS MAY 26 AND 27, 2022!

After carefully considering the COVID-19 situation around the world and in Bangladesh, as well as the relevant agendas and calendars, a decision has been made to observe the first International Conference on the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 in Dhaka on May 26 and 27, 2022.

The Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh has given her kind consent to attend the event as Chief Guest. This is certainly of profound significance and will surely strengthen the 'meaningful outcomes' we have aimed for. The conference will have six breakout sessions on Urban, Agricultural Transformation, Blue Economy, Youth Action Track, Coastal, and River Systems.

We will keep you updated about the conference through our page as well as through the following website www.bdp2100conference.org.

We look forward to welcoming you all to the conference on the 26th and 27th of May, 2022, whether physically or virtually.

Thank you!

BDP 2100 has published 26 Baseline Studies on known delta problems, existing policies, and governance challenges in water resources, land, environment, disaster, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, transportation, finance, governance, and delta plan related knowledge. The studies followed the basic steps of reviewing the current policy situation, assessing individual sectors' status, identifying drivers or pressures, and conducting integrated analysis to interpret problems, challenges, and knowledge gaps.

Do you want to know more about those studies? If so, please click here to learn more:

পরিকল্পনা কমিশন BDP 2100 BL Study Volume 6 Governance and Institutional Development.pdf BDP 2100 BL Study Volume 5 Socio-economic Aspects of the Bangladesh Delta.pdf BDP 2100 BL Study Volume 4 Agriculture Food Security and Nutrition.pdf BDP 2100 BL Study Volume 3 Part B Land Use and Infrastructure Development (3).

Do you want to know more about Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100? If so, please click here to learn more:

পরিকল্পনা কমিশন BDP 2100 Volume 1 Strategy.pdf BDP 2100 Volume 2 Investment Plan Cover Page, Message, Executive Summary, Table of Contents.pdf BDP 2100 Volume 2 Investment Plan Part 1 The Plan.pdf BDP 2100 Volume 2 Investment Plan Part 2 Appendices A-H.pdf BDP 2100 Volume 2 Investment Plan Part 3 Appendix I Projec

Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 Conference; ‘Issues and Challenges of Implementation’

The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 Conference; ‘Issues and Challenges of Implementation’- a high level international meeting, consisting of a series of events, will take place in May 2022 (after preparatory events began in October 2021) and aims to lead to meaningful and practical outcomes, furthering implementation.The conference aims to connect relevant national and international communities (governments, scientists, businesses and other stakeholders) to the school of thought that lead to the establishment of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100).

The Delta Plan takes a long-term Delta Vision as the starting point: ‘Achieving a safe, climate resilient and prosperous delta’. The plan focuses on water and food security, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability, while reducing vulnerability to natural disasters, climate change and pertinent delta related challenges. It supports the ambition of Bangladesh to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and considers water-related challenges and efforts crucial central to achieving the Delta Vision and Goals.

Now that the implementation of the Delta Plan has began, this conference will reflect on identified issues and challenges of implementation and learning insights from the process, leading to meaningful outcomes for further implementation and hence for the society and economy of Bangladesh.

Preparatory events from October 2021 to May 2022 focus on issues and challenges of the hotspots, including major river systems, extended coastal zone, and urban areas; as well as on Agriculture and Funding. A ‘Youth Action Tracks’ side program connects the next generation to the Delta Plan to build awareness and carry it forward, especially with respect to adaptation to climate change. The main conference, to be held on the 26th and 27th of May 2022 in Dhaka, will consist of keynotes by leading officials from the governments, private sector, and international partners, highlighting crucial aspects of the Delta Plan (related to climate change, food security and socio-economic development) and its implementation. High level side events will focus on identified issues and challenges of governance and financing of BDP 2100 implementation. Expert workshops at hotspot level will aim to align sectoral strategies and highlight technical and practical aspects of BDP 2100 implementation.

The Delta Plan conference is an initiative of five distinguished partners: the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka, World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and the EU Embassy in Dhaka. The conference organizing committee consists of the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) representatives from General Economics Division (GED), and other institutions, while the Delta Governance Council will also be involved for guidance and decision making. The conference is meant for high level (inter)national participants, including politicians and policy makers from the governments, thematic and technological specialists, financial and governance experts. At the same time, the conference aims to provide information to a large cross section of interested groups regarding BDP 2100 implementation.