Bangladesh Government has approved a Roadmap to ban plastic in coastal areas to protect the environment: Environment Minister, Bangladesh
Deepak Kumar Kundu
Economist
Coastal Embankment Improvement Project 2
Shahab Uddin, Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Bangladesh, said, “The Bangladesh government is working to ban plastic in coastal areas. A gazette notification in connection with a roadmap to ban single-use plastics in coastal areas has already been approved.”
He said this while addressing as the Chief Guest at the National Stakeholder Consultation Workshop of the Plastic free Rivers and Seas for South Asia Project (PLEASE) held in Dhaka on Monday (September 12).
“The government has finalized the ‘Multi-sectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastics Management in Bangladesh’ based on the 3R (Reduce, Re-use, Re-cycle) strategy. It will help create new value chains, skills, innovative products, and green jobs to address social and environmental challenges,” the Minister informed.
“The government has formulated several laws, rules, regulations, and policies to meet this challenge. Improvements in solid waste management are also emphasized in the eighth five-year plan,” he added.
Mrs. Habibun Nahar, Deputy Minister of the MoEFCC, Bangladesh, was a special guest in the program presided over by Mrs.Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the MoEFCC), Bangladesh.
Dandan Chen, Acting Country Director of World Bank in Bangladesh, Dr. Abdul Hamid, Director General of Department of Environment, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary of MoEFCC, Bangladesh, Dr. Md. Masumur Rahman, Director General of South Asia Cooperative Environment Program, were present there as honorable guests.
The environment minister said, “We need a pollution-free livable world which is important for human health, the environment, and human well-being,”
“Currently, microplastics are entering our food chain, which is dangerous for human health. Tackling plastic pollution is an opportunity for innovation and job creation to ensure a green growth path for Bangladesh. To succeed in this, we must take firm and bold initiatives,” he added.
The Minister also mentioned that the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia Project (PLEASE)’ launched by Pearly for the Ocean and the World Bank-supported South Asia Cooperative Environment Program of around US$ 50 million, will support environmental innovation.
In the workshop, representatives of various ministries/departments and government agencies, representatives of development aid agencies, civil society NGOs, and media expressed their views on behalf of their respective organizations on stopping plastic pollution.
