A cleaner Bangladesh needs collective action: Rizwana 

A cleaner Bangladesh requires joint efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said today (10 February).

Speaking at a citizen dialogue organized today by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka, the adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change highlighted ongoing initiatives to curb air and dust pollution.

Rizwana, also adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources, said plans include phasing out 4,500 old buses, planting trees along road dividers, and launching a Buriganga River cleanup project, which will proceed based on available funding, said a press release.

She stressed that urban waste management challenges are growing. She emphasized that legislation alone is not enough — effective implementation is crucial. Local government, civil society, and the private sector must play a more active role.

The event featured notable speakers, including Supreme Court senior lawyer and BLAST Honorary Executive Director Sara Hossain, Dhaka South City Corporation's Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md. Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar, and Practical Action Bangladesh Country Director Ishrat Shabnam.

Speakers underscored the importance of solid waste collection, reuse, and recycling while identifying lack of public awareness and poor management as major challenges. 

The discussion concluded with calls for stronger public-private partnerships and collective action to enhance waste management and civic awareness.