Top officials from the government, private companies, and international groups met in Dhaka today to find faster ways to solve Bangladesh's growing plastic pollution problem.
The high-level meeting, called “Accelerating Solutions for Plastic Pollution in Bangladesh,” was held by the Department of Environment (DoE) along with its partners UNOPS and BIMSTEC.
The event is urgently needed as more than 87,000 tons of plastic waste from Bangladesh enter the ocean every year. The meeting supports Bangladesh's national plan to manage plastic waste. The country aims to reduce plastic waste by 30 percent, recycle 50 percent of it, and stop using 90 percent of certain single-use plastics by the year 2026.
During the event, leaders discussed how to fund new solutions, encourage people to change their habits, and use new technology to create a circular economy where plastic is reused instead of thrown away. Secretary-General of BIMSTEC Indra Mani Pandey said, “Plastic pollution is a threat we all share, so we need to find solutions together. BIMSTEC is ready to work with other countries in the region to make the Bay of Bengal plastic-smart.”
Ministry of Industries Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman said, “We need to make sure our industries are environmentally friendly. This meeting is an important step towards making that happen.”
Director General of the Department of Environment Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman said, “The Department of Environment is determined to put our action plan to work. We will do this by using new ideas and working together with everyone.”
UNOPS Country Manager Sudhir Muralidharan who opened the session, said, “Fighting plastic pollution is not just about the environment, it’s also about changing our habits and systems.
UNOPS will support Bangladesh with real solutions to help turn its ambitious targets into real results.”
