Syeda Rizwana Hasan

Bangladeshi environmental lawyer championing sustainable development and pollution control

Syeda Rizwana Hasan (born 1960) is a Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and environmental advocate who pioneered environmental litigation in South Asia. As founding director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), she has secured landmark Supreme Court rulings on issues like river pollution, waste management, and climate change adaptation. Her 2003 case against the government for illegal sand mining in the Brahmaputra River led to a ban on unregulated extraction, protecting ecosystems and livelihoods. In 2010, her advocacy contributed to Bangladesh's first National Environment Policy. Hasan's work on UNEP projects and her role as a UN Champion of the Earth (2011) have amplified global awareness of South Asia's environmental challenges. Her legal strategies are studied in academic journals and detailed in reports like GDRC case studies. She also leads initiatives addressing plastic pollution and climate migration, speaking at events such as the UN Climate Change Conferences. Hasan's influence extends beyond law into policy, as seen in Bangladesh's 2018 National Sustainable Development Strategy which incorporates her recommendations. Her advocacy continues to inspire environmental movements in climate-vulnerable regions worldwide.