Speakers at a seminar on Saturday observed that it is very common that plastic usage will increase with Per Capita Income and GDP, so the use of more plastic is a good sign for the economy.
They said using more Plastic is not the problem, rather, Plastic Waste Management is the main challenge. One key area for intervention is mass awareness creation about waste disposal.
The country’s apex trade body the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the largest FMCG company Unilever Bangladesh jointly organised a high-level multi-stakeholder’ seminar titled ‘’Enabling Policy for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management on Saturday at a city hotel.
Md. Tajul Islam, Minister, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative (LGRD) attended the seminar as the chief guest while Md. Shahab Uddin, Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Md. Tofazzal Hossain Miah, Senior Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office were present at the event as Special Guests.
The event was presided over by Md. Jashim Uddin, President of the FBCCI.
While speaking, the Chief Guest Md. Tajul Islam said that “We will have to find innovative and smart solutions for Waste Management. Moreover, waste collection is currently not considered to be sustainable as it is still not viewed as a business proposition. An effective solution would be to follow the circular system which ensures that the consumption of plastic does not increase and moves towards a sustainable waste management model.”
Special Guest Senior Secretary of PMO Tofazzal Hossain Miah said “Bangladesh Government’s Vision 2041 has incorporated Plastic Waste Management in its Sustainable Urbanisation goals. Managing Plastic Waste capability and efficiency will be required if we want to upgrade our country to a high-income country”
While addressing, FBCCI President Jashim Uddin said “It is very common that plastic usage will increase with Per Capita Income and GDP, so the use of more plastic is a good sign for the economy. Using more Plastic is not the problem, rather, Plastic Waste Management is the main challenge. One key area for intervention is mass awareness creation about waste disposal.”
In the panel discussion Eun Joo Allison Yi, Senior Environmental Specialist of the World Bank reaffirmed the commitment of the World Bank saying, “We stand ready to work with the government of Bangladesh as well as the private sector to help program and finance complementary investments to strengthen plastic waste management, transitioning to a circular economy by promoting new jobs and business innovation in plastics alternatives for the benefit of environment and people and green growth in Bangladesh.”
Iqbal Habib, FBCCI Panel Expert and Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Environment Movement, Md. Moinul Islam, Urban Planner, Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) and Khadem Mahmud Yousuf, Managing Director and CEO of Bangladesh Petrochemical Company also participated at Panel Discussion.
