Alliance for Grassroots Uprising for Nature (AGUN) project is a nationwide initiative designed to empower and strengthen the capacity of youth from grassroot organisations across all 8 divisions of Bangladesh.
Through this project a grassroots civil society alliance will be formed with strong representation from labour unions, farmers, fisherfolks and domestic workers ensuring that the real voices of marginalized communities on climate crisis causes and impacts are heard at national and international levels.
Why?
Bangladesh had faced 15 years of a hybrid regime of authoritarian rule, which had dismantled the civil society space that could politically challenge the oppression of the neoliberal policies of the state.
The climate justice movement in Bangladesh has often been disconnected from the broader struggles of laborers, farmers, fisherfolks and residents of informal settlements. The majority population of Bangladesh does not connect with the epistemology of climate change, which is used by climate activists from international donor-funded projects.
This disconnect calls for a new approach to youth climate activism that actively resists the destruction of the environment. Moreover, a network across Bangladesh is needed to meaningfully organize, consolidate and engage the different fragmented grassroots movements to develop a strong collective space of activism.
Objective
The core objective of AGUN is to establish a grassroots civil society alliance that:
Confronts the capitalistic exploitation of natural resources, labor, culture, and society.
Ensures a strong representation of marginalized youth whose voices are unheard in the decision making processes.
Provides a platform for activists suffering the injustice caused by neoliberal economic paradigm and the global climate injustice.
Amplifies the collective demands of grassroots movements for environmental justice and systemic change.
Components / Stages Of The Project
Aug - Sep 2025
Landscaping Exercise
Potential regions and grassroots organizations across all 8 divisions of Bangladesh will be mapped and identified.
Sep - Oct 2025
Regional workshops
Workshops will be conducted across Bangladesh with selected participants from grass root organizations active in marginalized struggles and finalise the project cohort.
Nov/Dec 2025 (TBA)
Residential Camp
The selected cohort will receive intensive training to enhance their knowledge and capacity on critical issues such as: Colonial roots of environmental exploitation, coloniality in global climate negotiations, connection between marginalized struggles and climate justice, and strategic approaches for each division.
Jan - Feb 2025
Grooming and online discussions
Knowledge and capacity of the cohort will be further deepened and as well as the participants will have opportunity to expand their networks.
Mar 2025
Launching of the Alliance
A public press conference will be carried out to officially announce the alliance.
Organized By
Supported By
