People will not be nature lovers during the pandemic with famine: Professor Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman

Mijanur Rahman, JnU Correspondent:

Webinar on "Nature, Ecosystem Services and Hazards: Sustainable Approach" was be held ( 26.06.2020) at 8.00 pm. Jointly Organized by Eco-network, Jagannath University Climate and Disaster Study Unit (JnU- CDSU), and  Dhaka Institute of Disaster Management - DIDM. Chairman of the Department of Geography and Environment at Jagannath University Professor.Dr.Md.Moniruzzama and same department associate professor Mohammad Abdul Kader was as a speaker in this webinar. Tahziba Masud (SAFA), a 2nd-year student of Geography and Environment Department at Jagannath university was hosting on this webinar.

In the web seminar, Prof. Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman, Chairman, Department of Geography and Environment, Jagannath University said, ' we are facing this Corona epidemic in different ways is that many of us feel that nature is changing. If we think that this pandemic is providing different elements of the natural environment, there is a different explanation. Some of us are saying that the urban pollution of our air is decreasing, that is fine but if we look at the example of Bangladesh, when the urban people are going to the villages, it is having an impact on the rural ecosystem. We may be getting a little better in the urban environment but it is having an impact on the rural ecosystem due to the increase in the rural population. So, there is no reason to think it is positive because if at any time there is an epidemic with a famine. Then people will no longer be a lover of nature, Then people will no longer be nature lovers, then people will destroy biodiversity to survive. It will be very challenging for us to protect it.'

Photo: Running the Webinar 

Associate Professor Mohammad Abdul Quader of the Department of Geography and Environment said,' We are pushing the environment towards harm for our various needs but environmental sustainability means that there is no harm to the environment when you depend on the things of the environment and use the things that the environment provides you. We know that there are two types of resources, renewable and non-renewable. We can use easily huge amount of renewable resources but we cannot think it in non-renewable resources as we want because non-renewable resources are limited. Environmental sustainability is no more if non-renewable resources are destroyed. If the environment can be kept in its proper place by reducing the pollution of the environment, that will be environmental sustainability. Public health has a great deal to do with environmental sustainability. Scientists say it is coming from animals and infecting humans. Scientists say it is coming from animals and infecting humans. We are destroying animal habitats without thinking about our future generations for our own needs. These are the reasons why zoonotic pandemics are coming. It is sometimes said that these epidemics are happening after 100 years. We are now going through that epidemic.

He further said that if we want to achieve economic development by freeing the environment from pollution, we have to bring  Changing our mentality. Those of us who are capable should try to produce more of the products (organic products) that do not pollute the environment.

Note that,  the web seminar was held live on various social media including Eco Network's Facebook page.