Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her concerns about the impact of climate change on the lives of people in Asia and the Pacific region, as well as the national and regional stability. She emphasized that natural disasters and fuel shortages are major obstacles to development in the region, and warned that global warming poses a serious risk to all. The prime minister made these remarks at the CIRDAP second ministerial meeting on 'Rural development in Asia and the Pacific' in Dhaka. The meeting, attended by representatives from 14 member states of CIRDAP and a few non-member countries, is taking place 23 years after the first meeting in 1987. Hasina also highlighted the challenges posed by urbanization and the increasing pressure on fuel resources due to globalization. She encouraged regional leaders to address the challenges arising from climate change and globalization, warning that without doing so, rural development and poverty alleviation efforts will not yield sustainable results. The prime minister highlighted the threat to food security posed by increasing natural disasters and the current economic crisis, stressing the need for a united approach to finding practical solutions to common issues. Emphasizing the importance of increasing investment and exports to counter the drawbacks of globalization, she called for identifying new challenges and opportunities from a regional standpoint. The prime minister also pointed out the risks that climate change poses to low-lying countries. Hasina outlined the steps her government is taking to reduce poverty, such as creating a poverty reduction strategy paper, expanding social safety nets, increasing agricultural subsidies, and ensuring consistent power supply for irrigation. She also announced the implementation of the 'one-house one-farm' program starting this year. Other speakers at the event included CIRDAP chairperson and Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Syed Ashraful Islam, State Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Rural Development and Cooperatives Division Secretary Rokeya Sultana, and CIRDAP Director General Durga P Paudyal.