Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, said that jute shopping bags will be distributed among the public as an alternative to polythene shopping bags. A project has been initiated to supply these jute bags at subsidised prices. In this regard, coordinated efforts will be made in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.
She made these remarks as the chief guest at a seminar on plastic pollution control and a cleanliness campaign held at the Senate Building of the University of Dhaka on 19 April 2025 Saturday noon.
Rizwana Hasan also stated that awareness campaigns will be conducted to encourage the use of jute bags. New entrepreneurs will be supported in the production of jute bags, and to ensure sustainability, institutions such as Jute Diversification Promotion Center (JDPC), SME Foundation, and Joyeeta Foundation will be engaged.
The Advisor urged everyone to work together to tackle plastic pollution. She emphasized that unnecessary plastic use must be stopped at the individual level. “It is not true that there is no alternative to plastic,” she said. “While government initiatives cannot be implemented overnight, they will be carried out gradually.”
The seminar was presided over by Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka.
Among the speakers were, Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman, ndc, Director General of the Department of Environment; Marian Rabe Knavelsrud, Deputy Head of Mission, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Dhaka;; Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic), University of Dhaka; Dr. Zaki Uz Zaman, Country Representative of UNIDO Bangladesh; Dr. Afia Shahnaz, Dhaka Medical College;; Professor Dr. Md. Mofizur Rahman, BUET.
Advisor Rizwana Hasan also called upon the University of Dhaka to declare its campus free from single-use plastics and noise pollution.
As part of the initiative “Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh”, the Department of Environment (DoE), with UNIDO as the technical partner and financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka, organized a seminar and clean-up campaign involving students from Dhaka University, BUET, and Dhaka Medical College.
The seminar focused on sustainable plastic use and marine litter prevention, featuring discussions on policy frameworks, community engagement, and innovative solutions. Distinguished attendees included
Following the seminar, a clean-up campaign was launched across student halls, with PRAN-RFL Group providing waste bins and overseeing the recycling of collected plastics.
A big shout out to University of Dhaka for graciously hosting the event and playing a key role in making this initiative a success through their continued support and student engagement.
