Earth Day celebrations at IUB

. PHOTO: Syed Zakir Hossain

In its countdown to Earth Day, Green Sphere, a student organisation run by students of the School of Environmental Science and Management (SESM), of the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), hosted a special bird photography exhibition.

The exhibition kicked off recently, at IUB's SESM campus in Baridhara. The chief guest, renowned bird photographer Enamul Haque, inaugurated the programme. Congratulating Green Sphere for their efforts in spreading awareness about birds, he took a few moments to comment on the current environmental crisis of disappearing birds. Out of the 9000 or so species of birds, 2000 are currently on the endangered list. The number of Bangladeshi birds on this alarming list comes around to 40, and is expected to include 'common' birds such as the crow in a few years. The factors that are contributing to the decrease in the bird community include loss of habitat as well as dwindling food supply, and increased pollution, problems which are mainly caused by human intervention.

Professor Dr MA Hussain of the Department of Environmental Chemistry and Waste Management, spoke about some of the common sources of pollution that are causing concern for bird lovers and environmentalists around the globe. Professor Haroun Er Rashid, Director of the SESM, in a brief speech, thanked the chief guest for gracing the organisation, and also informed the audience about Enamul Haque's mountaineering project, which started sometime last year, when he took a group of students on an expedition to Mt Keokradong.

The speeches were followed by a short question-and-answer round, before the exhibition was formally opened. The show featured a collection of Enamul Haque's photographs of different birds of the subcontinent, from the egret to the mynah, to lesser-known species like the black baz. Students of the SESM, as well as from other departments of the university, thronged in to catch a glimpse of the photographs on display.

On April 22, Green Sphere had another impressive line-up for existing and aspiring environmentalists. The Earth Day Programme began at 10.30 a.m., at Campus 8 in Kalachandpur. It started off with speeches by the Vice Chancellor of the Independent University Professor Bazlul Mobin Chowdhury, Professor Haroun Er Rashid, Professor Dr MA Hossain, Head of the Population Environment Department Professor Dr Nashid Kamal Waiz, Ex-President of Green Sphere Sabrina Islam, and current Green Sphere President Rahat Bari Tooheen.

Each speaker had something to say about the history of Earth Day, the issues surrounding it, the environmental and social problems that are at the root of these issues, and some achievements of environmentalists of this country and around the globe. The Green Sphere presidents spoke about the organisation, its roots, its achievements, and setbacks. They also presented the audience with the first issue of the Green Sphere newsletter, which outlines the various activities and concerns of the SESM.

The speeches were followed by a slide show, conducted by Green Sphere member Rumana Rashid. The slide show presented the SESM, its structure, programmes and achievements.

The show was rounded off with a short drama called Modon Pori, O Gaach, a hilarious story about an enterprising businessman who makes money from the logging industry. The businessman suffers from lack of oxygen, and his son Modon, wins the heart of the nurse Pori, by convincing his father not to fell the trees again. The actors of the play were Rubayat, Robin, Narmeen, Roman, Shantonu, Farah, and Shaikot with a cameo performance by Professor Ayaaz Rabbani. The play's director, Prince, later spoke about how the entire skit was put together with very limited rehearsals.

Thus the celebrations ended on a happy note, followed by refreshments. Green Sphere hopes to be able to organise many more such events in the future.