A clean-up drive in Sreemangal's Radhanagar tourist area collected approximately 970.8 kilograms of single-use plastic waste as part of an initiative to reduce plastic pollution and strengthen sustainable waste management.
The programme at Balishira Resort in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, included a discussion meeting, awareness activities and the handover of a plastic crusher machine to the Radhanagar Resort Owners Association, according to the press release.
It was organised under the Department of Environment's project titled "Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh," with technical assistance from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bangladesh.
More than 300 stakeholders participated, including representatives of the Radhanagar Resort Owners Association, tourism businesses, the Department of Environment, the volunteer organisation BD Clean, and other relevant groups.
A United Nations representative presented the project overview and keynote paper, explaining its objectives and activities through a video presentation.
Representatives of the Radhanagar Resort Owners Association who addressed the gathering were Kumkum Habiba, president; Tanvir Lincoln, senior vice-president; Tarekur Rahman Pappu, general secretary; and Sajal Kumar Das, adviser.
Mojahid Ahmed Reju, divisional coordinator of BD Clean Sylhet, also spoke at the programme.
Speakers stressed the need to reduce plastic waste in tourist areas, segregate waste at source, ensure proper collection of recyclable materials and adopt sustainable waste management practices at resorts and other business establishments.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, director of the Department of Environment's Sylhet Divisional Office, attended as the chief guest. Md Maidul Islam, assistant director of the department's Moulvibazar District Office, chaired the meeting.
In his address, Azad described Sreemangal as one of Bangladesh's most attractive tourist destinations, known for its scenic beauty, extensive tea gardens, green forests and rich biodiversity, and said preserving these natural assets was a shared responsibility.
He added that indiscriminate disposal of single-use plastic bottles, cups, food packaging and other plastic products was harming the environment and diminishing the natural beauty of tourist areas.
He stressed the importance of responsible plastic use, waste segregation at source, and proper collection and recycling to address the problem.
Describing the handover of the plastic crusher to the resort owners' association as a timely initiative, he urged all concerned to ensure its safe and regular operation and to arrange appropriate recycling of the collected plastic waste.
After the meeting, BD Clean volunteers carried out a clean-up drive and public awareness campaign along Zerin Road in the Radhanagar tourist area.
The drive collected approximately 970.8 kilograms of single-use plastic waste, including water bottles, crisp packets, juice packets and ice cream wrappers.
Representatives of the Department of Environment, Unido, the local administration and BD Clean joined residents and other stakeholders in awareness activities alongside the clean-up.
They urged tourists and local communities to avoid littering, reduce single-use plastic, segregate waste properly, and adopt sustainable waste management practices.
The initiative highlighted the importance of coordinated action by government agencies, tourism businesses, resort owners, volunteers and local communities to keep Sreemangal's tourist destinations clean and protect the surrounding environment from plastic pollution.