'Climate change responsible for abnormal behaviour of weather'

The Financial Express (Bangladesh): The country is experiencing abnormal behaviour of weather due to adverse impact of global climate change and the phenomenon may pose serious threat to the total ecological system, experts said. "The earth surface is warming due to emission of carbon and other gases and 2010 was the warmest year in the last 100 years of the world," Md Golam Rabbani, senior research officer of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) said this to BSS. "Average temperature has increased in the country like other parts of the globe, and definitely it is linked to the climate change," he said.

Variation of rainfall has been observed in different regions of the country, Rabbani said adding average rainfall in Dhaka and Rajshahi regions has slightly decreased while it has increased in the coastal region. Though average rainfall in the coastal region has increased, it occurred erratically affecting crop production in the region, he added.

Variation of average temperature and rainfall are primary effect of global climate change while drought, flood and other natural calamities are its secondary effect, he said. However, the country witnessed both primary and secondary effects, Rabbani said adding, "We will suffer immensely if the trend continues."

The BCAS researcher said the industrialised countries generate the lion's share of climate-altering carbon and other gases, while the developing world is responsible for a smaller share of greenhouse-gas emission. Assistant director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department Shamsuddin Ahmed said rapid industrialisation is increasing carbon and other gas emission in atmosphere, which is largely responsible for changing the weather pattern.

Weather pattern has been changed, he observed and said there is a link between the phenomenon and climate change. Less rainfall during the last few years in the country may be the normal trend of weather pattern, Mr Ahmed said and added that untimely heavy rainfall, drought and extreme intensity of cyclone and other natural calamities were observed due to the impact of climate change….

A damaged village surrounded by flooded fields, nearly three weeks after the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone hit the country. US Air Force photo