Bangladesh, being one of the worst sufferers of global warming, on Saturday urged the global leaders to change the definition of “climate migrants and refugees” in line with the UN guideline to protect the climate victims.   

“The issue is now so real that Bangladesh urgently urges the world community to change the definition of climate migrants and refugees to bring it in line with the UN definition of Migrants and Refugees,” foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said in Turkey, according to the message received here.  

The foreign minister was speaking at the first Panel Discussion of the 3rd Antaliya Diplomacy Forum held in Antaly on global climate change and climate migrants and climate refugees issue.

Moderated by Lawrence Anderson, an academic and fellow of Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, the discussion under the title “Building Asia-Pacific Regional Architecture: The Challenge of Unmatching Interests” was also addressed by foreign ministers of Malaysia, state minister for foreign affairs of Sri Lanka and deputy minister for foreign affairs of Vietnam.

The Bangladesh foreign minister focused on the importance of caring for “the protection of our environment and the adverse effects of the global warming” that amongst others negatively contributing factors towards the rise of Climate Migrants and Refugees.

He mentioned that like many small and island nations, Bangladesh has become one of the worst sufferers of the Global Climate Change and Global Warming.

Hasan Mahmud pointed that while Bangladesh and many environmental scientists have been focusing on the climate change issue for many long years while many world leaders did not believe in it until it has become evident to all.  

“Yet the rich countries, the major contributors to the global warming, are doing very little to address the issue and protect our environment,” he said.

Meeting with Switzerland foreign minister :

On the sideline of the Forum, the Bangladesh foreign minister held a bilateral meeting with his Switzerland counterpart Ignazio Cassis.

During the meeting, they discussed on issues related to Rohingya repatriation and climate change apart from matters related to bilateral ties.     

Bangladesh ambassador to Turkey M Amanul Haque was present.