She said, “Climate change has the potential to pose a threat to food security. People in the region spend more money on food and cannot spend on education and other sectors, with increasing food processing.”
Farzana Mannan said that economic security and health security were also challenges for the region. Displaced by climate change, people migrated to cities, but their unskilled status made it difficult to find jobs. Again, the lack of potable water led to diarrhea, cholera, and other water-borne diseases.
About the threat to the freedom to live with dignity, he said that the migrants essentially get 3D jobs – dirty, tough and dangerous.
Brigadier General Shaheedul Anam Khan (retd), former associate editor of the Daily Star, began by saying that security is an environment that allows people to live and exist without outside influence affecting their functioning.
“We are an important sector,” said the former military officer, “but we don’t have the enthusiasm that we should have.” When we talk of South Asia, we cannot forget its history. Safety concerns, construction.”
With regard to the location of South Asia, he continued, it straddles two important regions, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. It is also close to China, the next great power, and the other next great power, India.
He cautioned that there could be a conflict between India and China and that South Asia could also become the focus of the India-Pakistan conflict.
The presentations were followed by a lively interaction during the concluding question and answer session. The roundtable was attended by former diplomats and civil servants, foreign diplomats, academicians, journalists and others.