Probha Aurora’s Special Awareness Program to Combat Climate Change: Target Vans and Rickshaw pullers

Md Rakibuzzaman Bhuiyan, Assistant Manager, Social Media and Digital Marketing of Probha Aurora was the officer in charge of this program, said that, “we implemented this program with about 400 rickshaw and van pullers of Mymensingh division. Apart from conducting this activity, a survey activity had also been conducted among the rickshaw pullers as part of research activity.” At this time, Probha Aurora’s Rangpur representative Syed Ariful Islam also said that “we have already taken the plan; we will implement this program in every division of the country.”

This program was organized with various objectives including protecting the rickshaw and van pullers from the harmful effects of climate change, creating awareness among them about COVID-19 and environmental protection, encouraging everyone to use eco-friendly products, and restoring the industries that are disappearing.

Rabiul Islam, Mymensingh District Officer of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra, directed the inaugural session of this program which was conducted by young men and women aged 18 to 35 years. The chief guest said in the opening speech that, “the distribution of canopies and reusable masks organized by Probha Aurora is very timely and new to me. This canopy will be comfortable to use in the heat of the sun. I thank Probha Aurora for such an initiative.”

In the inaugural session, distinguished personalities were also present as special guests, Former President of Mymensingh Sahitya Sangsad, Mr. Yazdani Koraishi; President of Mymensingh District Committee of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission, Sibbir Ahmed Liton; Storyteller of the liberation war, Bimal Pal; General Secretary of Mymensingh Sahitya Sangsad- media activist Swadhin Chowdhury; entrepreneur of eco-friendly products Selima Azad;  General Secretary of Youth Mymensingh Youth Citizen Society-Chairman of Clean Up Bangladesh Motiur Rahman Faisal and others. Apart from creating awareness by training the youth through this program, a precedent has also been set for increasing the capacity of low-income people to deal with climate change, said, local dignitaries. 

It is pertinent to mention that this activity was conducted in various important places of Mymensingh city on last 29 and 30 July 2022. The volunteers of Mymensingh area who played important roles on behalf of Probha Aurora were Abul Kashem Babul, Asaduzzaman Bappi, Samant Das, Jannatul Fatema Ima, Nadia Nusrat and others.

It is also noted that the Risk Communication and Community Engagement Pillar provided special advice and support in this process. Previously, this program was implemented among 10 percent of Rangpur i.e. 300 rickshaw pullers under the initiative of Probha Aurora. The research results showed that 32 percent of these rickshaw pullers in Rangpur were regularly suffering from fever, 20 percent of rickshaw pullers were suffering from cold cough and 18 percent were regularly suffering from headaches due to the increasing temperature of the sun and frequent rains. And most of them i.e. over 60 percent were young people.