The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) has obtained a grant from the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh to implement its ‘Defending Environmental Rights and Promoting Justice’ program.
According to Dhaka Tribune, this program will focus on the defence of “citizens’ rights to the environment, increase awareness and strengthen networks on environmental justice issues”. Moreover, the program aims to promote “progressive, equitable, effective global legal orders”.
The grant follows a previous 5-year cooperation between BELA and the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, which commenced in 2019. According to Maria Stridsman, Head of Development Cooperation, who signed the grant agreement on behalf of the Swedish Embassy, “[t]he cooperation with BELA offers opportunities for positive contributions to an environmentally sustainable development for Bangladesh”.
What is the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association?
BELA consists of a group of Bangladeshi lawyers that has been in existence since 1992. Their aim is to promote “environmental justice” and to contribute to “the development of sound environmental jurisprudence”.
Although BELA employs various strategies in order to achieve its goals, it is very well-known for its public interest litigation efforts. In 1997, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh recognized the right for civil society to bring public interest litigation cases, following an initiative brought by BELA.
The association has since filed more than 350 public interest litigation cases regarding environmental issues in Bangladesh, with stakes including forest conservation, various forms of pollution, damages resulting from development, forest rights, farmers' rights, and more.
Following the grant agreement with the Swedish Embassy, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Chief Executive of BELA, said, “We will continue to empower people to assert their environmental rights. We will also continue to provide specialised training and technical assistance to other environmental actors”.
Aside from its litigation efforts, BELA is also involved in public awareness campaigns, research, training, and communications.
The association has received a lot of national and international acclaim, including from the United Nations Environment Program, the Bangladesh Government, and Time Magazine.
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