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Planning Process in Bangladesh and Challenges of
Implementation
Dr Mahfuzul Haque
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Points for DiscussionPlanning process in BangladeshBottom-up versus Top-down Multi-stakeholder Integrated
Sustainability Planning (MISP)Major Environmental Plans: NEMAP;
SEMP; NEMAP-CHT (draft); NAPA; BCCSAP
Ownership of the PlanChallenges of Implementation
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Planning ProcessTop-Down Approach: Technocrats, experts
government officials through inter-Ministerial consultations/workshops finalize the plan. “Planning for the people”
Bottom-up Approach: Participatory planning. Stakeholders are involved in the planning process through workshops/ Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). “Planning with the people”
Ownership: Government’s ownership of the Plan, irrespective of party affiliation is necessary
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Planning ProcessTop-down or centralized planning couldn’t
achieve the desired level of developmentThrough Bottom-up planning process, people
at the grassroots are involved and they have a greater control over their own lives
One is development for the community and the other is development through a community decision-making process
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MISPMulti-stakeholder Integrated Sustainability
Planning (MISP) is an integrated approach of planning in pursuit of sustainable development, involving cross-sectoral people
MISP is multi-stakeholder. It plans for the people, by the people through greatest participation and widest consultation
MISP is multidisciplinary. It integrates economic, social, ecological, political, cultural and spiritual concerns towards a holistic and sustainable development
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MISPMISP works at multilevel. It integrates global,
regional, national and local priorities and concerns into a coherent Plan
MISP coordinates all stakeholders in the six disciplines (economic, social, ecological, political, cultural and spiritual) and at different level
MISP is dynamic. It is responsive to new ideas, inputs, data and developments, which are in consistent with the people’s vision and objectives
MISP is participatory.
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MISPMISP promotes horizontal and vertical
empowermentHorizontal empowerment ensures interaction
among various sectors of society and economy instead of past compartmentalized planning
Vertical empowerment means enhancement of communication, coordination among various levels (micro and macro; bottom and top)of society and the government. Guidelines formed at national level take into account global and regional perspectives
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Major Environmental PlansNational Environment Management Action
Plan (NEMAP) 1995Sustainable Environment Management
Programme (SEMP) 1999National Environment Management Action
Plan-Chittagong Hill Tracts (NEMAP-CHT) draft
NAPA; BCCSAP
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NEMAPNational Environment Management Action Plan 1995
NEMAP identified key environmental issues, measures to reduce environmental degradation in order to promote sustainable development and to raise quality of human life through poverty alleviation
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NEMAP NEMAP 1995 followed a “participatory
planning process”. 26 grass-roots workshops, 6 regional workshops and a number of professional workshops were held in soliciting peoples’ opinions
NGOs including ADAB and civil society bodies were involved
Ownership of the government remained irrespective of the changes of regimes
UNDP was a prime mover NEMAP didn’t gather dust. It was
implemented through SEMP
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NEMAPDuring day-long workshops, participants
were asked the identify 10 top environmental issues of the locality
They suggested the probable solutionsThey also identified the institutions
responsible for implementation of these solutions
Through newspaper ad, questionnaires were circulated soliciting peoples’ opinion
Consultants collated these views and concerns
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NEMAP
NEMAP identified and prioritized the following environmental issues:
1. Lack of sanitation and clean drinking water 2. Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and lack of
awareness3. Deforestation, fuel crisis4. Pollution (air, water, industrial)5. Natural Hazards (floods, cyclones, drought)6. Scarcity of surface and ground water7. Use of agro-chemicals8. Others (soil erosion, biodiversity depletion,
decrease in fisheries, energy crisis)
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SEMP 1999 Sustainable Environment Management Programme Sustainable Environment Management
Programme (SEMP) is the follow-up of NEMAP. The program was implemented by 21 Agencies (Government, NGOs and professional bodies) during 1999-2005 period at a cost $26 million.
SEMP looked at policy institutions; participatory eco-system management; community based environmental sanitation; advocacy and awareness; and training and education.
SEMP intended to benefit grassroots population, particularly women in eco-specific intervention areas.
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SEMP 1999SEMP focused on a) Strengthening legislative and policy
development capacity at all levels b) Promoting effective planning and
managing of ecosystem by the community
c) Enhanced environmental sanitation and waste management
d) Raising environmental awareness and advocacy
e) Integrating environmental education at all levels
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NAPA 2005National Adaptation
Programme of Action 2005 (updated in August 2009)
Related to adaptation measures to climate change
Country-wide consultation was held
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BCCSAP 2009Bangladesh Climate
Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009
A pro-poor climate change management strategy, which prioritizes adaptation and disaster risk reduction, low carbon development, mitigation and technology transfer
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Ownership of the Plan
Government’s ownership of the Plan, irrespective of party
affiliation is necessary
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Wetland Policy (Draft)IUCN (International Union for Conservation of
Nature)-an international NGO, sponsored policy drafting on the “conservation of the wetlands of Bangladesh”
Around 12 Agencies are involved in the conservation of wetlands: Land, Fisheries, Agriculture, Water Resources, Environment, Local Government, District Administration etc..
IUCN moved from door to door of these government agencies for an “ownership” of the Policy. No body took the ownership and the policy remained as a draft one and gathering dust
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Challenges of ImplementationWho owns the Plan?Who implements, monitors and updates
the Plan?Funding mechanism for implementationCommitment of the GovernmentCommitment of the development
partnersContinuity of the Plans
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Challenges of ImplementationPriority of the governmentPolitical CommitmentConsensus in the ParliamentRole of the development partnersRole of the Bureaucracy Role of the NGOs and Civil SocietyRole of the Media
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Probable Questions1. Describe the planning process in
Bangladesh. How a Plan could be made more participatory? Discuss with an example.
2. What are the challenges of implementation of a Plan? Discuss.
3. Describe the planning process in Bangladesh? What do you mean by participatory planning? Discuss with an example.
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Further ReadingKingsbury, Damien ed., Key Issues in Development, 2004
(pages: 221-226)Kothari, Uma. Development Theory and Practices: Critical
Perspective. New York: Palgrave, 2002 (pages: 92-113)IUCN, National Forum on Multi-stakeholder Sustainability
Planning in Bangladesh, 1999.Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Environment and
Forests, National Environment Management Action Plan (NEMAP), 1995.
--------, National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), 2009.
--------, Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), 2009.
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THANKS