The first board meeting of the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP) on integrated climate finance was held Thursday at the Chief Adviser’s Office, aiming to chart a coordinated path for the country’s climate response.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, delivered the keynote address as the Chief Guest.

She highlighted that the BCDP initiative is not only about tracking climate finance but also about aligning national policies, planning, financing, and implementation to ensure coordinated climate action.

Bangladesh is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. To respond effectively, projects must be bankable, priorities clear, and actions equitable and impactful. Climate change is no longer solely an environmental concern—it is a development, economic, and existential challenge, she said.

The Adviser stressed that climate finance must be balanced between mitigation and adaptation, with vulnerable communities receiving critical support.

She also called for active engagement of civil society organizations, government agencies, and the private sector to drive grassroots-level interventions, while urging ministries to enhance project development capacity to access international funding effectively.

Highlighting key priorities, she mentioned waste management, afforestation, and renewable energy for mitigation, and rainwater harvesting, natural canal restoration, and improved disaster management in coastal areas for adaptation.

The meeting, presided over by M Siraz Uddin Miah, Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, also reviewed the progress of BCDP, revised the Terms of Reference (ToR) of its Board and Working Groups, discussed mobilization of domestic and international finance, and the establishment of a BCDP Secretariat, along with other institutional and operational matters.