Staff Reporter, Dhaka : A 15-member national chapter of the South Asian Climate Change Journalists Forum (SACCJF) was officially launched today in Kathmandu.

The newly formed chapter will work in close coordination with the regional level SACCJF, established in 2022, which unites journalists from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Nepal.

In a significant development, SACCJF President Asish Gupta, Secretary General Karamot Ullah Biplob, and the newly appointed executive committee members of the SACCJF Nepal Chapter
met today with the Secretary-General of SAARC, His Excellency Golam Sarwar. Discussions focused on potential avenues for collaboration between the two institutions. His Excellency
Sarwar expressed his strong commitment to working with SACCJF in the crucial areas of climate advocacy and awareness.

The newly constituted SACCJF Nepal Chapter will be spearheaded by Shree Ram Subedi as President and Bhisma Raj Ojha as Vice President. Bikash Acharya has been appointed as the General Secretary and Chadni Hamal will serve as Treasurer. The chapters dedicated members include Mukesh Pokhrel, Bal Krishna Adhikari, Sabin Sharma, Tika Bandan, Yam Bam, Shobita Rishal, Balika Maden, Numa Thamsuhang, Birendra KM, Khagendra Bhandari and Tula Adhikari.

Looking ahead, SACCJF is planning a significant South Asian Journalists Conference in Janakpur in October 2025. This conference aims to spotlight critical local climate issues by
bringing together journalists, experts, and officials from across South Asia. Building on the local-level activities already organized in India and Bangladesh, the Nepal conference is envisioned as a flagship regional program for the organization.

SACCJF has already established its India Chapter, and national chapters for Bangladesh and Pakistan are currently in the pipeline. The organization maintains its secretariat in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.

Earlier, on Sunday, the visiting SACCJF team engaged in discussions with Nepal’s Minister for Forest and Environment, Honorable Ain Bahadur Shahi, and the Director General of ICIMOD, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho. These meetings explored various strategies and ideas for future collaborations in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change.