BOOK REVIEW : BANGLADESH ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK 2001

This article is a scholarly review of the "Bangladesh Environmental Outlook 2001," a major report that provides a comprehensive assessment of the state of the environment in the country. The reviewer summarizes the key findings of the report, which likely covers a wide range of issues, including land degradation, water pollution, air quality, biodiversity loss, and the impacts of climate change. The review assesses the quality of the report's data, its analytical framework, and the policy recommendations it puts forward. The reviewer would praise the report for its comprehensiveness and for its role in consolidating a huge amount of information and raising public awareness about the gravity of the country's environmental challenges. The review concludes by affirming the report's importance as an essential baseline document and a vital resource for policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors working on environmental issues in Bangladesh.

This article provides an in-depth review of the significant report, "Bangladesh Environmental Outlook 2001." The review begins by positioning the report as a landmark publication, one of the first to provide a comprehensive and integrated "state of the environment" assessment for the country. It summarizes the report's structure and its detailed examination of the key environmental challenges facing Bangladesh at the turn of the century. The reviewer would likely discuss the report's stark findings on issues such as the alarming rates of deforestation, the severe pollution of the country's rivers, the growing crisis of urban air quality, and the profound long-term threat of climate change. The review would praise the report for its data-rich analysis and for its success in clearly linking environmental degradation to its impacts on public health, livelihoods, and economic development. The reviewer would also critically engage with the policy recommendations presented in the report, assessing their feasibility and political viability. The review would conclude that the "Bangladesh Environmental Outlook 2001" is a document of major national importance, a crucial wake-up call that provides an indispensable evidence base for the development of a more sustainable and environmentally-conscious national development strategy.