ID: 2082
Presenting Author: Sheikh Mokhlesur Rahman
Session: 715 - Professional Capacity Building and Certification As Tools for Building Stakeholder Confidence
Status: pending
Success story of one of the first learning centers in South Asia, at CERM of BUET, to build the capacity of environmental and social professionals in Bangladesh.
A lack of environmental and social (ES) management capacity often leads to poor ES compliance, resulting in detrimental impacts on public health, productivity, and social well-being in Bangladesh. Therefore, it is imperative to build the capacity of the ES professionals working on ES risk assessment of development projects. A learning center (LC), one of the first in South Asia, was established at the Centre for Environmental and Resource Management of BUET in 2022 to enhance ES management capacity in Bangladesh. The LC, known as BD ES Learning Center, focuses on developing specialized curricula, delivering training programs, and fostering partnerships to strengthen the technical and institutional capabilities of project implementing agencies (IAs). The LC plays a vital role in building capacities for effective implementation of the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) of the World Bank (WB) in Bangladesh and strengthening relevant IAs of the Government and consultants. Early experiences of implementing ESF in Bangladesh reveal significant capacity constraints in this sector, limiting its enforcement. Specialized training programs that delve into the intricacies of ES considerations are designed to equip participants with practical skills to navigate WB ESF and national regulatory frameworks, ensuring responsible project implementation. Around 400 professionals have participated in 21 certification programs arranged so far. Since its inception, LC has significantly improved the capability of ES professionals to manage ES issues in development projects in the country.
Sheikh Mokhlesur Rahman is a Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of CERM at BUET. His research interests include data science for environmental eng., pollution management, and sustainability.
Coauthor 1: Sharmin Rowshan Ara