Pabna Municipality, Square and BRAC partner for sustainable waste management
Pabna Municipality, Square Pharmaceuticals PLC and BRAC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a sustainable waste management system in Pabna. The initiative will focus on waste collection, segregation, recycling and community participation.
The tripartite agreement was signed at the Pabna Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Saturday (12 September), according to a press release.
BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh, Square Pharmaceuticals PLC Managing Director Tapan Chowdhury, and Pabna Municipality Administrator Md Khairul Islam signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.
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Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Member of Parliament for Pabna-5, attended the ceremony and addressed it. He has played an important role in advancing the initiative.
BRAC Director Dr Md Liakath Ali also spoke, highlighting the agreement's objectives.
Speakers said Pabna's growing waste management challenge was affecting the environment, public health, drainage systems and residents' everyday lives.
They stressed the need for a system suited to the city's circumstances and capacities, drawing on local communities' experience. They said active participation by citizens alongside the municipality would be essential to making the initiative effective and sustainable.
Under the partnership, the three organisations will combine their experience and expertise to implement the initiative with the municipality's existing waste management system.
Pabna Municipality will provide institutional leadership and oversight, while BRAC will provide technical leadership in designing and implementing the initiative, taking local conditions and stakeholders' views into account.
Work will begin in selected areas of the city, focusing on improving waste disposal and collection.
Educational institutions, markets and residents will be engaged to promote waste segregation and recycling. Improving the skills and occupational safety of municipal waste collection workers will also be a priority.
Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas said, "Pabna is a nearly 200-year-old city, and various plans have been undertaken to improve it. In this context, waste management is an important initiative. Rather than relying solely on government efforts, everyone's cooperation is essential."
Pabna Municipality Administrator Md Khairul Islam said collaboration among the municipality, private sector and development organisations could help address the challenge.
"Waste management is a major challenge for municipalities like Pabna. We believe this initiative will bring about a long-term and sustainable solution through collaboration among the municipality, the private sector and development organisations," he said.
Square Pharmaceuticals PLC Managing Director Tapan Chowdhury emphasised the importance of encouraging civic responsibility from an early age.
"If we can instil a sense of responsibility towards our own city from an early age, change is possible. Small initiatives need to start from schools, colleges, and madrasas. What we need is the willingness of everyone to contribute, and our responsibility will be to support them from behind," he said.
BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh said waste management was a major challenge for municipalities across medium-sized cities.
"This is not simply an environmental issue. It is closely linked to public health, drainage, waterlogging, people's quality of everyday life, and ultimately the question of whether a city will remain liveable," he said.
"BRAC has gained experience working on waste management in Cox's Bazar, Savar, Saint Martin's and Barishal. Our experience shows there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Solutions need to be developed based on local realities," he added.
"The municipality needs to lead, and we will provide support. A sustainable solution will only be possible through collective partnership."
BRAC Director Dr Md Liakath Ali said, "Keeping Pabna city clean is not the responsibility of any single organisation. It is a shared responsibility of everyone in Pabna."
The MoU will initially remain in effect for two years. After reviewing progress and lessons from implementation, the partners will develop plans for the next phase.
