The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Department of Environment (DoE) are jointly implementing a project titled “Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastic Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh,” funded by the Norwegian government.
The project aims to formulate policy, raise consumer awareness, implement preventive techniques in plastics industries, and develop plastics recycling industries, according to a press release issued on Sunday.
Cox's Bazar has been selected for community action due to its status as a key tourist spot in Bangladesh and its susceptibility to marine littering.
To foster consumer awareness, the project initiated a field mission in February 2024 to explore the possibility of developing a model for sustained community action. Since March, UNIDO has launched awareness campaigns targeting schools and the fishing community in Cox’s Bazar.
To date, the initiatives have included two training workshops, two awareness events, eight school cleanup events, and one seminar.
Additionally, three seminars were organized with the fishing community to engage them in marine litter prevention and cleanup.
The seminars aim to mobilize the fishing community to develop a plastic waste management system involving their families, boat owners, community workers, and shopkeepers.
The first seminar was held on May 31 in Samity Para, the second on June 1 in Chowfaldandi, and the third on June 2 in Fishery Ghat, Nuniar Chora, in Cox’s Bazar district.
These seminars had two main objectives – to ensure no fishers or boats discard plastic into the sea while fishing, and to encourage fishers to collect plastic waste whenever found. Designated points were established to store the collected plastic, which will then be picked up by the recycling sector.
The Social Development Foundation (SDF) actively participated in the seminars with their project beneficiaries, involving 1,300 fisher households, of which 450 were directly engaged. These 450 fishers are expected to raise awareness and involve the rest of the community with SDF’s assistance. Marine litter cleanup will commence once fishing restrictions are lifted.
Representatives from UNIDO, the DoE, the Department of Fisheries, the Bangladesh Fishing Development Corporation, fisher associations, local government, civil society, and village community leaders attended these events.