‘Stop using rivers as dumping grounds’, urges environment state minister
He says policies alone will not curb pollution and urges citizens to take responsibility for waste disposal.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam has urged citizens to stop treating rivers such as the Buriganga, Sitalakhya, Turag and Balu as dumping grounds, calling on all to act responsibly to curb pollution.
He was speaking as the chief guest yesterday afternoon (18 August) at the Jahangirnagar University Senate Building at the main event of a "Sustainable Plastic Waste Management Practices in Jahangirnagar University" campaign, jointly organised by the UN Industrial Development Organization (Unido) and the Department of Environment (DoE), hosted by the university.
"Policies alone will not work; all of us must take responsibility, because this country is ours," he said, adding that the government was not working for show but to leave behind "a liveable Bangladesh."
Describing the state of river pollution, he said huge volumes of plastic and waste have accumulated in rivers including the Buriganga, with excavation work in places unearthing plastic and waste instead of soil. He said the Buriganga required "master dredging" rather than conventional dredging.
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Stressing citizen accountability, he said, "Make whoever dumps waste sit beside it for a few hours. Make them get into the filth and clean it up. Then they will understand how wrong their act was."
On single-use plastics, he said many uses were unnecessary altogether, though he urged wider adoption of biodegradable bags as alternatives in fish markets.
He called on Jahangirnagar University to go plastic-free, saying that would set a national example other universities could follow, and could make it the country's first university to declare a plastic-free campus.
On government initiatives, he said over 2,300 acres of forest land had been reclaimed from illegal occupation and afforested in the past six months, nearly 28.4 million trees planted this year, and a further 20 million keora trees are planned across 4,400 acres of coastal land by December.
He cited waste-to-resource initiatives in Cox's Bazar, including converting single-use plastics into wood-alternative products and composting organic waste, and said the government's "3R" slogan – reduce, reuse, recycle – now includes a fourth R: reject.
He also referenced plans for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and voiced concern over microplastics and harmful substances in products.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan chaired the event and pledged to build an eco-friendly, plastic-free university. Deputy vice-chancellors, the treasurer, Unido Bangladesh representatives, Jucsu members, and teachers and students attended.
