Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stressed the importance of establishing fair and transparent climate finance systems to protect vulnerable countries from falling into debt traps.

Climate finance must be rooted in justice, ensuring countries like Bangladesh are not burdened with unfair loans while addressing a crisis they did not cause, she said.

The adviser made these remarks during a National Dialogue on "Climate Justice in Climate Finance: Climate Debt Trap Risks for Bangladesh and Other LDCs" held at the CIRDAP Auditorium on Sunday.

The international community must recognize the necessity of grants, not just loans, to support adaptation and mitigation efforts, she added.

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Rizwana Hasan underscored the importance of stronger global commitments to address the historical responsibility of developed nations in contributing to climate change. She urged industrialized countries to take responsibility and provide financial assistance in a manner that does not worsen the economic hardships of LDCs. Bangladesh and other vulnerable nations are grappling with both environmental and economic crises, and climate finance must serve as a tool for empowerment, not exploitation, she noted.

Dr. Munzurul Hannan Khan, Executive Director of Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), Md. Rafiqul Islam, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT), and M Zakir Hossain Khan, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Change Initiative, also spoke.

The event gathered experts, policymakers, and civil society representatives to discuss challenges and solutions regarding climate finance for developing nations.

The dialogue focused on the increasing concerns surrounding the debt risks posed by international climate finance for Bangladesh and other Least Developed Countries.