Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources, emphasized the need to focus on protecting nature, wildlife, and the environment to safeguard public health and prevent infectious diseases. She highlighted the urgency of changing human attitudes and promoting responsible behavior to protect forests and wildlife. Noting that wildlife cannot speak or defend their rights, she stressed that it is our duty to ensure their rights and the rights of nature. Living in harmony with nature and wildlife, she said, can help protect us from various infectious diseases.
The Environment Advisor shared these remarks as the chief guest at an event held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka, on 4 November 2024 Monday, celebrating World One Health Day 2024.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that the One Health concept represents an integrated approach, recognizing the intrinsic connection between human health, animal health, and environmental well-being. She urged the need to raise public awareness about this interrelationship and implement initiatives under the One Health framework. She also highlighted the importance of activating the One Health model through local and international partnerships and stressed the need for a collective approach to achieve this goal.
As the special guest, Farida Akhter, Advisor, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, remarked that the One Health framework should not only involve the Ministries of Fisheries and Livestock, Health and Family Welfare, and Environment, Forest, and Climate Change; it should also include agriculture, industry, and other relevant sectors. The advisor noted that pesticide and herbicide use in agriculture poses severe threats to human and animal health. She explained that while food production has increased, sufficient focus on safe food production has been lacking. She emphasized that controlling human health, animal health, and agricultural production through the One Health approach would protect public health.
M. A. Akmall Hossain Azad, Senior Secretary, Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family WelfareLivestock over the event. Other speakers included Md. Sarwar Bari, Secretary, Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests, Forest Department; Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Jafor, Director General, Directorate General of Health Services; Dr. Rajesh Narwal, Acting WHO Representative, Bangladesh; Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative to Bangladesh; Reed J. Aeschliman, USAID Mission Director to Bangladesh; Prof. Dr. Nitish Chandra Debnath, National Coordinator, One Health Bangladesh and Chief of Party and Prof. Dr. Tahmina Shirin, Chair, Coordination, Committee, One Health Secretariat spoke in the occasion.
At the event, awards were distributed among winners of the One Health competitions for 2023 and 2024.
In response to a question from journalists after the event, the Advisor said that the government aims to protect both St. Martin’s Island and the tourism industry together. All necessary steps will be taken, leaving no room for confusion on this matter.