South Korean President seeks engagements with BD City Desk Welcoming newly appointed Bangladesh Ambassador Toufiq Islam Shatil, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday underscored the need for exploring ways and means to achieve deeper engagements between the two countries. The ambassador, who presented his credentials to the South Korean president at the Presidential Office in Seoul, requested the president to consider visiting Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time in near future. The ceremony was held in a decorated and congenial environment. Following the ceremony, the ambassador had a brief call on to the president, said the embassy. During the call on, the ambassador conveyed the greetings from the president and the chief adviser of Bangladesh, and the South Korean president reciprocated it. The ambassador noted that South Korea is an important friend and development partner of Bangladesh and expressed willingness to make efforts to further deepen ties between the two countries. Ambassador Shatil also conveyed Bangladesh’s thanks and appreciation for the Republic of Korea’s continued humanitarian support for forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh, reports UNB. He also appreciated the South Korean president’s declared objective to enhance engagements with the countries of the South.

City Desk:

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Tuesdy said that knowledge-based initiatives along with global unity and solidarity are crucial in addressing the climate crisis.

“With the limited time and resources we have in hand, collective action is indispensable. This crisis is not only about survival, it is about the safety of our future generations and the very existence of many nations,” she said.

Rizwana, also the adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources, was speaking as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the “Biophilia: Reconnecting people, climate and Culture” organised by the Embassy of Switzerland the capital, said a ministry press release.

Highlighting Bangladesh’s vulnerability, she said that as a deltaic and lower riparian country, Bangladesh is among the most climate-vulnerable nations.

She added: “Our people are demonstrating resilience and courage in the face of repeated disasters, but our capacity is being pushed to the limit due to insufficient mitigation efforts and inadequate international support. Required financing and technological assistance for adaptation are still far from sufficient.”

The adviser called upon development partners to reconsider their support policies and extend stronger cooperation to vulnerable countries like Bangladesh.

Stressing the importance of culture and heritage in resilience-building, she said, “No matter how great the crisis, we will continue to move towards solutions by drawing strength from our culture and traditions, together with our development partners.”

Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Charge, d’Affaires of the Embassy of Switzerland, Valantine Achancho, Country Director and Representative, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Laboni Akter from Shoronkhola, Bagerhat, among others, also spoke at the event.

Later, the adviser visited stalls at the exhibition in Aloki convention showcasing various initiatives to tackle climate risks, and interacted with students and climate-vulnerable communities.