Science Fair

“Climate change and Biodiversity- A thought put together by school children”

Maleeha Mazen Khan

courtesy : Marie Curie School

With rapid climate changes and global warming occurring every second, contributions by people to prevent it has been going on worldwide. Be it rallies, events promoting diminution of wastages, or conferences, somehow or the other, everyone is trying to contribute as to how our Earth can be saved.

The very thought of our Earth weeping over its calamity has made the students of Marie Curie school contribute to the dilemmas of climate change. On January 29, a day long science fair was conducted by Marie Curie School followed by another daylong display of their projects. The chief guest, Dr. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), along with special guest, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an enrolled lawyer with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh were there to inaugurate the science fair. In professional life, she is working for the cause of environment as the Chief Executive of a reputed national NGO named “Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA)”. Her main focus is to promote the notion of environmental justice in Bangladesh. Chairperson of Marie Curie School, Prof. Dr. M. Shamsher Ali was also presented there.

The science fair began with opening speeches by Dr. Atiq Rahman, Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Dr. Shamsher Ali. The students had thirty five projects on display, each describing various causes of global warming, climate changes and biodiversity, not only the global causes, but also the ones taking place in our country. 'The cleaner, the greener' with this notion, the students of grade four and grade seven displayed their projects on deforestation.

Imran Shahrier of grade five, and Anindita Hossain of grade four demonstrated radio activity and its purposes on how it can be extracted. “Reusing is a simple way to save natural resources,” says Adrika, a grade one student. Abdullah Shahrier Sami and Samreen Azgar of grade seven discussed the water problems in Bangladesh. They explained how water problems are taking place. They also stated how it is damaging the natural life. They shared their views on how the river Buriganga is being polluted, the causes of flood; arsenic contamination and suggested as to how it can be prevented.

A drama was also conducted by the students of grade one and two, which delineated the reasons as to why deforestation is taking place and how. The children did a great job in delivering their motive for the drama.

In his speech, Dr. Atiq Rahman, addressing to the talented students, spoke about how global warming is taking place, and how carbon emission is causing our current global environment crisis. He also explained the significance of the living greens hold in our lives.

The students of Marie Curie School did a great job in putting forth their opinions regarding climate change and global warming through the simplest ways possible, which might not have been entirely possible without the teachers and their endless efforts.

“I was supposed to give out my speech before looking at the projects by these wonderful students. I had a lot of points to discuss, but now it seems I have to cross most of them out, as these children brought those points out in the most creative way possible,” says Syeda Rizwana Hasan.