For 13 years in a row, Coca-Cola Bangladesh has joined hands with Kewkradong Bangladesh, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup to carry out the annual beach cleanup on Cox’s Bazar, near Laboni Point.
This annual coastal cleanup is in alignment with Coca-Cola's global mission to create a “World without Waste” by 2030, reads a press release issued on Sunday.
Kewkradong Bangladesh, the country coordinator of Ocean Conservancy has been a long-standing partner of Coca-Cola in Bangladesh in an effort to create awareness of plastic pollution and protect the coastal areas.
The 13th edition of this initiative saw the active participation of over 50 volunteers. People from diverse backgrounds, including university students and professionals from across the country, enthusiastically took part in the event.
Aligned with the 37th annual International Coastal Cleanup®, this year's efforts resulted in the removal of over 1,000kgs of marine debris from the shores of Laboni Point. The predominant types of debris included food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, bottle caps, plastic bags, utensils, and lids.
Muntasir Mamun, country co-coordinator of Ocean Conservancy said: “Cox’s Bazar is known as the longest beach in the world and it is one of our most valuable national treasures. But anthropogenic littering is causing a threat to this pristine beach. To protect and preserve this national treasure we all need to come together and initiatives like International Coastal Cleanup supported by Coca-Cola need to be incorporated by all.”
Since 2011, Coca-Cola has been actively supporting the International Coastal Cleanup initiative in Bangladesh. In the course of the past 12 years, over 5,500 volunteers have gathered and disposed of more than 15,450kg of marine debris.
This collaborative effort is part of Coca-Cola's broader commitment to cleansing and preserving oceans from pollution worldwide.
Furthermore, the company is involved in various other initiatives to assist the government of Bangladesh in addressing the issue of plastic pollution.
The Coca-Cola system in Bangladesh and The Coca-Cola Foundation are playing a significant role in supporting Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Local initiatives of the company’s global initiatives such as Plastic collection, Water Stewardship and Women Business Centre actively contribute to community development.
