Speakers at a workshop have highlighted the importance of coordinated action among stakeholders to address climate change vulnerabilities.  The discussions aimed to identify challenges, develop collaborative strategies, and emphasise  the pivotal role of security sectors in addressing climate change impacts. By bridging research, policy and practice, they emphasised the need for actionable strategies and international cooperation to build resilience in climate-vulnerable nations like Bangladesh.  The workshop, held recently in Dhaka, underscored the critical role of such forums in fostering informed solutions for a secure and sustainable future. The Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), with the support from the European Union, hosted the workshop on “Climate Change and Security: Addressing Potential Instabilities in Bangladesh.”  Attended by researchers, journalists, university students, NGO officials, and senior representatives from Bangladesh's Environment Ministry, Police, Ansar and Village Defence Forces, Fire Service, Army, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, and Border Guards, the event gathered a diverse audience to engage with the critical intersections of climate change and security. Economic opportunities for women through south-south cooperation The workshop featured speakers, including Shafqat Munir, Senior Research Fellow at BIPSS, and Dr. Kawser Ahmed, a professor at the University of Manitoba, alongside video presentations by Dr Chad Briggs and Major General (Retd.) Joseph G. Singh.  The workshop started with Shafqat Munir’s presentation, which focused on climate change as a "threat multiplier," highlighting its role in exacerbating vulnerabilities such as resource scarcity, economic instability, and displacement.  He stressed integrating climate policies into security frameworks, leveraging tools like the Climate Security Mechanism to address socio-political risks.  It was followed by a video presentation outlining the military’s transition from traditional roles to humanitarian assistance.  EuroCham launched, seen as new milestone in Bangladesh-EU business relations He emphasised the need for threat-specific strategies and debunked climate disinformation as a barrier to coordinated responses. An interactive discussion highlighted key issues, including emissions regulation, renewable energy, grassroots awareness campaigns, and the National Action Plan’s gaps in integrating security sectors into climate strategies.  Participants from Bangladesh Ansar shared their disaster response efforts in remote areas, calling for localised and sustainable interventions. Dr Kawser Ahmed examined the roles of civil and military sectors in disaster preparedness and resilience-building.  He highlighted early warning systems, green energy transitions, and cross-sector collaboration as critical tools to mitigate climate impacts.  His call for equitable global solutions, such as the 'Loss and Damage Fund,' resonated strongly, emphasising support for vulnerable nations like Bangladesh.  Security enhanced for Bangladesh missions in India A video presentation by Major General (Retd.) Joseph G Singh expanded on the military’s role in disaster response operations, stressing the need for balanced military engagement and greater coordination with civilian and NGO entities. The event concluded with a question-and-answer session that emphasised  the need for data-driven policymaking, improved coordination between security sectors, and sustainable solutions modelled on initiatives like NATO’s net-zero goals.  Participants stressed the urgency of creating common platforms for collaboration to streamline disaster responses and reduce bureaucratic delays.

Gallery Cosmos, the artistic wing of Cosmos Foundation, is hosting a unique, interactive segment titled “Art Therapy through Printmaking” at “Inspire Her Wellness” by Dhaka Flow, a pioneering yoga and wellness festival. The festival — to be held on March 8-9 at the Baridhara Society Lakeside Park in Dhaka — will commemorate International Women's Day 2024, while “Art Therapy through Printmaking” will celebrate the power of creative expression in healing through art. Eminent and pioneering printmaking artist Professor Rokeya Sultana will conduct a live printmaking session and workshop at the Creative Playground for the attendees. Besides, young artist Surovi Akter will be drawing caricatures live at the event. ‘The Black Story’ exhibition by Gallery Cosmos launched virtually The workshop and printmaking session will be held on both days - Friday, March 8 at 11:30 am and Saturday, March 9 at 11:00 am. In addition, the Gallery Cosmos Pavilion will be featuring 20 promising young visual artists and printmakers, showcasing a total of 35 artworks as part of its ongoing commitment to promote the country’s emerging talent by highlighting the work of these talented female artists. With a large number of visitors expected to join and explore the art fair, Gallery Cosmos aims to provide a platform for these young Bangladeshi artists to gain recognition and appreciation on a global scale. The festival-goers can purchase their artwork from the gallery at the festival. Nasrin Jahan Onika's maiden solo exhibition ‘Home’ begins at AFD Art therapy has long been recognised for its capacity to unlock emotional expression and foster healing. It serves as a non-verbal communication channel that allows individuals to explore their deepest thoughts and feelings. Women have been pivotal in the art world, yet their representation has not always been proportional to their talent. This event is dedicated to promoting women artists who do more than just fill a gallery; they shatter glass ceilings and pave the way for the next generation of female creators. They challenge societal norms, question the status quo, and, most importantly, offer a rich narrative with diverse female perspectives. The Black Story webinar sheds spotlight on ‘Dismantling Anti-Blackness in South Asia and the Diaspora’ Women’s entrepreneurship in the art world is a burgeoning force. Female artists are not just creators but innovators and business leaders. One of these pioneering women entrepreneurs is Nahar Khan, a writer, curator, and patron of the arts who is currently serving as the Executive Director at the Gallery Cosmos and the Cosmos Foundation. In addition, Nahar Khan also currently serves as Director at United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and Vice President of the Cosmos Group. An enthusiast of Arts and Culture who is keen on working towards inclusive curatorial practices and curatorial activism to challenge assumptions, hegemony, and heterocentrism while sparking meaningful discourse around social, racial, and political issues, Nahar Khan is especially devoted to the cultural and historical exchanges between communities. ‘Amar Dekha Noya Chin’: Bangabandhu’s formative journey in a travelogue-style graphic novel Gallery Cosmos garnered widespread recognition from the international creative community for many of its artistic endeavours. Among these endeavours was the series of intellectual and artistic interventions for “The Black Story” project, an interactive virtual exhibition conceived and curated by Nahar Khan during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also works with differently-abled children in the art space and holds several art events and workshops for them, alongside the regular artistic ventures of the gallery in order to foster the country’s glorious art and culture. Kicking off this Friday at 10 am with an opening ceremony by Dhaka Flow co-founder and esteemed yogini, Shazia Omar, the “Inspire Her Wellness” festival is scheduled to host a wide range of workshops and classes, originating and concluding at Baridhara Society Lake Park on March 8-9. UNB is the media partner of the festival. Yoga a gift of India to world: Pranay Verma

Vowing to work together for the greater good of wildlife conservation, WildTeam’s two-day Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation workshop came to its closure on Monday at Cosmos Centre in the capital. The two-day workshop, an exclusive collaboration between WildTeam and the Bangladesh Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka University, Jagannath University, and Noakhali University of Science and Technology, turned into a rendezvous with the enthusiastic participation of a large number of aspiring wildlife researchers, educators and students. Continuing the successful and effective series of sessions, the second day of the exclusive workshop began with the ‘Basics of Radio-telemetry for monitoring wildlife’ session which was conducted by Dr Rajiv Kalsi from 10 am to 10:45 pm, followed by his two other sessions - ‘Estimating densities using distance sampling’ from 11:00-11:30 am and ‘Use of Mark-Recapture for generating estimates’ from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm. A group activity session was then conducted for the participants, from 12:00 pm to 1 pm by Dr Kamalka Bhattacharyyay alongside Dr Rajiv Kalsi.  After that, two virtual sessions were held following the lunch break: ‘Estimating and conserving the patterns of diversity using field survey data’ by Dr Md Anwar Hossain and ‘Human-Tiger Interactions’ by Dr Medha Nayak (from India). The later session comprised another activity: ‘List causes and drivers of Human Tiger Conflict in Sundarbans’. Read more: WildTeam’s tiger conservation workshop begins at Cosmos Centre The final session of the workshop was conducted by Prof M Abdul Aziz from Jahangirnagar University from 3 pm to 4:30 pm, titled ‘Camera trapping in the Sundarbans and demonstration’. After a 15-minute post-training evaluation test for participants followed by another feedback session of the same duration, the workshop officially came to its closure with its closing ceremony and certificate distribution among the participants and the workshop conductors-associates.  Chaired by WildTeam Founder and Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan, the concluding session was moderated by Dr Md Anwarul Islam, CEO and spokesperson for WildTeam and also joined by WildTeam Chairman and renowned Ornithologist Enam Ul Haque, Deputy Managing Director of Cosmos Group Masud Khan, JU Professor M Abdul Aziz, innovative conservationist Noam Bedein and two of the workshop facilitators from Wildlife Trust India, Dr Kamalka Bhattacharyyay and Dr Rajiv Kalsi. “When one stops to learn, the person stops to live - and it is as simple as that. We all have to die, today or tomorrow; but I think many people die much before their physical death when they lost the inspiration to learn. Personally, I am very happy to see all of you aspirant wildlife researchers here together and especially the participation of our female participants, as I believe the contribution of our female population to society is enormous,” Enayetullah Khan lauded the participants at the closing ceremony. “I have seen WildTeam’s journey and struggles from its beginning,” Masud Khan said at the ceremony. “My father Enayetullah Khan, alongside Enam Ul Haque, Professor Anwarul Islam and the entire WildTeam has been working for effective conservation through struggles, efforts and sacrifices. I am very happy to explore this successful workshop, and I wish the best to all the participators-facilitators and the whole team.” Lauding WildTeam for hosting this exclusive research workshop, Dr Rajiv Kalsi said, “Wildlife conservation is an urgency of our time. No government can do it alone, so I really appreciate Cosmos and WildTeam for this workshop.”

The young generation needs to understand what information they share with the masses, speakers said at a workshop. Information technology is advancing in leaps and bounds, and the dangers of disinformation, misinformation and fake news loom large, they said. The youth must be aware of these dangers and prepare themselves accordingly, said the speakers, noting that malinformation or fake news could bring anyone under the regulations of the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018.

Dhaka, Feb 25 (UNB) – WildTeam, a leading environmental conservation organization, is set to host a two-day workshop titled ‘Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme’ on February 26 and 27 at the Padma Conference Room, Cosmos Center in Malibagh, Dhaka. The workshop aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to plan, design and conduct successful wildlife research projects. The WildTeam workshop is an exclusive collaboration with the Bangladesh Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka University, Jagannath University, and Noakhali University of Science and Technology. Participants with an interest in wildlife research, including research students, researchers, and professionals will have the opportunity to learn from experienced researchers and practitioners in the field of wildlife biology and conservation. This will be the first time that researchers from India and Bangladesh will gather and share their thoughts, knowledge, and practice initiatives on what should be done for the betterment of wildlife conservation. Also Read: 300 sheltered at WildTeam’s Conservation Biology Centre during Sitrang Imran Ahmed, Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Nature Conservation Circle, Bangladesh Forest Department, will join the workshop as the guest of honour, while the workshop will be chaired by Enayetullah Khan, Founder of WildTeam and Chairman of Cosmos Foundation. The workshop will cover a range of topics, including the principles of research design, field data collection techniques, data analysis, and report writing. In addition, participants will learn about the latest tools and technologies used in wildlife research, including GPS tracking, remote sensing, and camera traps. A total of 50 participants are set to join the two-day workshop, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on day one (February 26) and 10:00 am to 4:45 pm on day two (February 27). “We are thrilled to host this workshop and provide participants with the skills and knowledge they need to conduct successful wildlife research,” said Professor Dr Md Anwarul Islam, CEO and spokesperson for WildTeam. “We believe that this workshop will be an excellent opportunity for participants to learn from experienced researchers and practitioners and to network with others in the field.” The event includes all workshop materials, refreshments, and lunch on both days. Participants will also receive certificates at the closing ceremony of this exclusive workshop. About WildTeam: WildTeam is a leading environmental organization committed to protecting wildlife and their habitats. The organization's mission is to work with communities, governments, and other stakeholders to promote sustainable wildlife conservation and management practices.  

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) has said that the cities of Bangladesh need rooftop agriculture in order to ensure sustainable food and reduce food wastage. To stress on the importance of rooftop gardening, the UN body conducted a training workshop for the ward councilors of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on Wednesday under a project titled Dhaka Food System (DFS).   DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam attended the event as the chief guest, while Xavier Bouan, the project’s Senior Technical Adviser, addressed the event  focusing on the need to grow fruits and vegetables on the  rooftops of buildings. Read: FAO Asia-Pacific regional conference to kick off in Dhaka Tuesday “Households can reap nutritional and health benefits from rooftop agriculture. Rooftop agriculture also has positive effects on communities and society in general. They can help people to re-establish a relationship with what they eat. This is a link that has weakened since we started outsourcing our food and relying so much on industrialized production,” Bouan said. According to the Agriculture Information Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, approximately 4,50,000 roofs, covering 4,500 hectares, remain underutilized in Dhaka city. A survey using images from drones conducted by DNCC concluded that only two percent of rooftops in that part of the city had rooftop gardens. “DNCC, with the support of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operatives, have announced the possibility for a ten percent holding tax rebate for city residents practicing rooftop agriculture. FAO is assisting the city’s two corporations to prepare the guidelines to implement the planned tax rebate policy,” Atiqul said. Participants at the workshop provided their input into developing and applying a set of guidelines for city corporations that will assist officials in determining whether households practicing agriculture qualify for a property tax rebate.  Read: Hasina focuses on food security as FAO conference opens The DFS project, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is working with a local organization, Proshika, to develop 20 rooftop agriculture demonstration plots throughout the city and to train 550 people from slum areas. The Local Government Division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives is leading the DFS project implementation with technical support from FAO and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) of the Netherlands.

A validation workshop was held on the updated Climate Change Gender Action Plan (CcGAP) Thursday at a Dhaka hotel to share the updated CcGAP 2022 with a wide range of officials and practitioners in climate change and gender. UN Women in partnership with Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT) under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with technical support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), and Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER) drove the update process. The first CcGAP was produced in 2013 when the attempt was to align it with the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP 2009). The MoEFCC took the initiative to revise it as a lot of advancements had taken place since at the international and national levels, such as Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Paris Climate Agreement, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, Delta Plan, Perspective Plan, and National Adaptation Plan (NAP). Read: Dnet arranges workshop on responsible digital citizenship The CcGAP needs to align with all these key drivers for climate change to make the plan effective and thus enhance the process of gender mainstreaming into the national policies, strategies, and sectoral plans. Managing Director (Additional Secretary) of Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT) Nurun Naher Hena attended the event as chief guest. Chaired by Diya Nanda, deputy country representative of UN Women, Nayoka Martinez Backstrom, first secretary (environment and climate change) at the Embassy of Sweden, Raquibul Amin, country representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Md Khairuzzaman, director (planning, development, and negotiation) of BCCT), and Dilruba Haider, programme specialist of UN Women, spoke at the event. Read: Nagad holds workshop on prevention of money laundering, terror financing Nurun Naher said: "We need to develop action plans and toolkits like Climate Change Gender Action Plan to ensure development projects and policies related to climate change and other sectors are gender-responsive. That's how the gap with regard to gender integration into mainstreaming sectors like climate change can be addressed." Nayoka Martinez said: "The updated Climate Change Gender Action Plan has proposed a number of indicators. An evidence-based monitoring mechanism would strengthen the process of tracking progress that would also enable the implementation of the action plans." Diya said: "Integration of sex-disaggregated data is critical to mainstream gender in the sector-specific policies and strategies. Women are disproportionately affected due to societal norms, systemic gender inequalities, reproductive obligations, and so on." "So, collection of Sex, Age, and Disability Disaggregated Data (SADDD) in every aspect is crucial to address the different needs and vulnerabilities of different groups of marginalised people."

Creating awareness among youths about internet, internet safety, free speech with responsibility , digital act, digital crime, propaganda, fake news can ensure safe and free movement in digital space. Those were the main takeaways from a workshop titled “Advocacy Dialogue: awareness and protection of digital citizenship and rights”, held with participation of law practitioners and journalists on Monday in the capital. Read: Tech Republic showcases Jabra's smart solutions for hybrid offices Social enterprise Dnet, that focuses on use of technology to provide solutions for social problems, organized the workshop jointly with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom funded by the European Union under the project, ``Foster Responsible Digital Citizenship to Promote Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh.” “It is necessary to define vague terms like cyber security, cybercrime in Bangladesh Digital Security Act, 2018, . It would have been easier for people to understand which issues are considered as violation of the reputation of the state if there was proper definition”,Faruq Faisel, Regional Director of Article 19 said.

Nagad, the mobile financial service arm of Bangladesh Postal Department, organised two separate workshops to raise awareness among its “Uddoktas” in Chattogram and Cumilla on how to check money laundering and combat terrorist financing while conducting MFS transactions.    The workshop titled “Let’s prevent financial transactions through ‘hundi’, let’s all build a beautiful Bangladesh”, was held recently in Chattogram with Md Shahid Ullah, market director (East Operation) of Nagad, in the chair. M Nurul Alam, FCS, chief anti-money laundering compliance officer of Nagad, graced the occasion as the chief guest. Regional and head office officials were also present at the event. Ahammad Ali, assistant general manager of Nagad’s Compliance Department, presented a keynote.  Regional sales managers of Cumilla and Chattogram Mehedi Ahmed Siddique and Md Shamimul Hasan Chowdhury respectively moderated the two discussions.  Read: Nagad wins Mastercard Excellence Award 2022 in two categories Speakers at the event apprised Nagad Uddoktas of the necessity of reining in money laundering and terrorist financing while running their operations. They also made them aware of potential risk factors, illegal hundi, online betting, and other digital crimes.  They also shed light on reporting suspicious transactions and case studies related to fraud.  The programme mainly focused on checking remittance inflows through illegal channels and illegal transactions of cryptocurrencies.   The officials discussed how remittance inflows through legal channels have a positive impact on the economy.   M Nurul Alam, chief anti-money laundering compliance officer of Nagad, thanked channel partners for participating in the workshop.  Mentioning that Uddoktas can play a crucial role in preventing money laundering and terrorist financing, he urged everyone to work together to prevent all kinds of misuse of Nagad platform by any wrongdoers. Read: Nagad Islamic, Islami Bank team up for seamless financial services He also expressed hope that such awareness activities will be held frequently in all parts of the country as part of Nagad’s compliance activities. Stating that the main driving force of Nagad’s management is its Uddoktas and strong channel partners, Md Shahid Ullah, market director (East Operation) of Nagad, urged all to be aware of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Mobile financial services provider (MFS) Nagad recently arranged a workshop to raise awareness of breast cancer among all its employees and their families. More than 100 employees and their family members attended the workshop online. Later, those at Nagad's headquarters in Banani underwent a health check-up. Provident Health acted as a programme partner of Nagad to provide them with information about the prevention, screening tests for early detection, and treatment of breast cancer. Doctors at the workshop said breast cancer is the leading cancer for women in Bangladesh. According to the World Health Organisation, one in every eight women in the world is at risk of developing breast cancer in the course of their life. About 20,000 women are diagnosed with this cancer every year. Read: Nagad upgrades system to offer better services However, 50 percent of them have every chance of cure if diagnosed early and treated appropriately, said physicians at Nagad's workshop. Shaharear Sayeed, director of human resource and administration at Nagad said, "Dedicated in-house doctors come to our office every week to conduct health tests of our employees and make them aware of various diseases." "They also regularly conduct workshops on breast cancer to make everyone aware of it."