During the virtual inauguration of Global Centre on Adaptation's regional office in Dhaka on Tuesday, the prime minister emphasized the susceptibility of the South Asian region to climate-induced natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, tidal surges, droughts, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides, and avalanches. She cautioned that even a 1.5 degree Celsius increase in temperature would have significant repercussions for Bangladesh and the surrounding area. Hasina also highlighted the vulnerability of children, women, elderly individuals, and those with special needs in the face of disasters, while reaffirming Bangladesh's dedication to adhering to the Paris Agreement and implementing measures to reduce carbon emissions and environmental degradation. She mentioned that her government has initiated various mitigation and adaptation programs in alignment with the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan established in 2009 to combat the impacts of climate change. In 2009, we established the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund and have allocated 430 million US dollars from our own resources to implement the action plan," she said. The government has also been spending around 1% of our GDP, equivalent to $2 billion per year since 2010 for adaptation purposes. The prime minister also mentioned the Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100 as a long-term initiative to address the challenges of climate change and natural disasters. Hasina stressed the importance of increasing resilience in South Asia to mitigate the impacts of climate-related disasters, noting that nearly 700 million people, half of the region's population, have been affected by such disasters in the past decade. Before people can fully recover from one natural disaster, another one often occurs, undoing any progress that has been made. In order to break this cycle, South Asia must work towards building stronger resilience. The establishment of the GCA's regional office in Bangladesh is seen as a positive step towards supporting on-the-ground actions in South Asia to improve adaptation and climate resilience. The hope is that this office will share successful adaptation practices from Bangladesh and other countries, and facilitate the exchange of ideas within the region, ultimately serving as a Center of Excellence for adaptation measures in the area. According to Hasina, Bangladesh is looking to the GCA Dhaka office for support during its chairmanship of important climate-focused international bodies, the Climate Vulnerable Forum and Vulnerable-20, over the next two years. She also called for the GCA to assist the Delta Coalition on a long-term basis. Hasina praised Bangladesh's efforts in disaster response but acknowledged the need for changes to mitigate the effects of climate change. She expressed confidence that by sharing experiences and best practices, countries in the region can work together to create a better future. Since climate change is a worldwide issue, I urge countries to improve their Nationally Determined Contributions by December 31st this year to address the problem and implement the 2015 Paris Agreement. In response to the aftermath of the pandemic, Hasina urged other nations to come together to combat the current crisis and any future ones.