DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon today said environmental problems are not merely an issue of a fiscal year or a five-year plan, but an existential crisis for human civilization.
He urged the young generation to understand the deep link between contemporary global politics, energy crisis and the environment, rather than remaining limited to academic knowledge.
The information minister made the call while speaking at the inaugural session of ‘Green Energy Olympiad 2026’ organized by Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital this morning.
Addressing the function as the chief guest, Swapon said since environmental problems are often not visible, the commoners do not understand their severity before they are directly affected. Even many powerful world leaders have challenged science and denied the truth of climate change, he said.
In such a situation, the minister said, it is a moral responsibility to make the young generation aware of the environment and raise awareness from one generation to the next.
Referring to the ongoing global instability, he said the world is now facing energy and economic risks due to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Our import-dependent energy policy and trade deficit have pushed our economy to a challenging situation. As future policymakers, today’s youth need to understand what the ‘bloody face’ of the global competition to control energy production sources really looks like,” he said.
Swapon said the youth need to know how the ‘war industry’ and extreme nationalism affect world politics and damage the environment.
“If the knowledge of environmental science can be linked to the social and political ecosystem, it will be transformed into applicable knowledge,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the Green Energy Olympiad, the information minister said the interest of the youth in renewable energy and environmental protection is a big force on the path to building a sustainable Bangladesh.
Chaired by Dr Kazi Maruful Islam, Professor of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, the event was attended by government officials from various departments, university teachers and civil society representatives, among others.
