Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised that sincere social responsibility is indispensable when it comes to addressing the three primary global challenges: Poverty, unemployment, and carbon emissions.
Speaking as the chief guest at the International Social Business Conference (ISBC) 2025 held at a hotel in Gulshan on Saturday, she stated, “To achieve zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions, we must awaken moral responsibility at every level of society.”
She remarked, “The core issue is our failure to implement the values we preach. Sustainable change is impossible without ethical practice. Modern capitalism has harmed not just nature but the entire social system. If we don’t alter our economic models now, preserving civilisation will become increasingly difficult.”
Highlighting the need to move beyond consumerist mindsets, the environment adviser urged, “We must distinguish between need and greed. The current era demands standing for humanity, not the chasing of selfish desires. We must cultivate a culture of compassion, not conflict.”
Citing Islam’s principles of justice and equality, she noted, “Islam isn’t just about religious directives – it teaches social accountability. Instead of exploiting people for profit, Islam encourages spending a portion of one’s wealth for welfare of others.”
She lamented the Muslim world’s inability to unite on crises like the Palestinian genocide and the ersecution of the Rohingya people.
Explaining zakat as an effective social solution in Islamic economics, she said, “Modern taxation systems collect funds, but their impact on marginalised communities remains questionable. Zakat is a targeted mechanism that directly aids the poor.”
The conference was attended by Turkey’s Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Prof Dr Halis Yunus Ersöz, North South University Vice-Chancellor and Grameen Bank Chairman Prof Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, UNIW Secretary-General Yup Akmal, SAWAB Chairman SM Rasheduzzaman, IIIB Bangladesh representative Dr M Abdul Aziz, and Agricare Group MD Dr Ali Afzal, among other international delegates.