Climate change could swallow one-third of Bangladesh: Moni

Dhaka, Sep 18(ANI): Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has expressed concern over the rising oceans due to climate change, and warned that it could swallow one-third of the low-lying country.

Speaking ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in December this year at Copenhagen in Denmark, Moni urged countries across the world to take notice about the situation to mitigate the damage.We are working with very limited resources, and we need support from the international community. We do have expectations for Copenhagen," The Washington Times quoted Moni, as saying.

"Without any action one-third of our land could go under water, forcing 20 million people to flee their homes because of rising sea levels and increased flooding," she added.

Geographically, the country straddles the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta and is subject to annual monsoon floods and cyclones. Most parts of the country are less than 12 metres (39 ft) above the sea level, and experts believe that about 50 per cent of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by a metre (3 ft).

Following the severe climate, Bangladesh is now widely recognized to be one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. (ANI)