Stakeholders Call for Urgent Action Against Plastic Pollution in the Sundarbans

A multi-stakeholder workshop was held in Morelganj on Wednesday to strategize against plastic and polythene pollution, highlighting its severe threat to the biodiversity of the Sundarbans.

Organized by the Youth for the Sundarbans Forum in collaboration with the NGO Mutarban, the event brought together government officials, civil society leaders, and journalists to push for eco-friendly alternatives and coordinated action.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Habibullah, attending as the chief guest, joined other speakers in stressing that protecting the ecological balance of the mangrove forest requires immediate public-private partnerships.

The core consensus of the meeting was a demand for structural waste management solutions. Speakers urged the government to allocate specific, decentralized funds for waste removal. They emphasized that dedicated budgets must be ensured at all local government tiers—including Union Parishads, municipalities, and city corporations—to effectively manage plastic waste at the grassroots level.

Presided over by Youth for the Sundarbans Forum President Ruman Hossain, the session opened with remarks from Mutarban District Coordinator Khandaker Jilani Hossain and was moderated by Mashrafe Majid Aqib. Key participants contributing to the discussion included Press Club President Mashiur Rahman Masum, Upazila Information Officer Sharmin Akhter, former headmaster Hosneara Begum Hasi, and local organizer Keya Akhter.