In a bid to create a safer and more sustainable planet, Dr Shahadat Hossain, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation, stressed the importance of coordinated efforts from all sectors during the inauguration of a beach cleaning campaign in Cox’s Bazar on 10 January.
He highlighted the need for collaboration between local government, law enforcement agencies, media, youth organizations, and educational institutions to raise awareness and promote environmental protection.
Speaking at the event held at Hotel Jaltorong near Laboni Point, Dr Hossain commended the youth-led initiative aimed at reducing plastic pollution, promoting sustainable tourism, and ensuring public health safety.
“Such initiatives are especially crucial in tourist areas like Cox’s Bazar, where regular beach cleaning activities not only protect the environment but also ensure public health and tourist safety,” he remarked.
Dr Hossain further emphasised that Cox’s Bazar, home to the world’s longest sea beach, is a national treasure.
“It is our collective responsibility to maintain this beach, keep it clean, and make it environmentally friendly. We must control plastic use and minimize it as much as possible,” he added.
The Mayor also mentioned that Chattogram City Corporation is committed to creating a “Green, Healthy, and Safer City,” urging the youth to take similar actions for plastic waste management and environmental conservation.
The event, organized by the non-governmental development organization Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), aimed to raise awareness about keeping the beach clean. The Mayor actively participated in the cleaning campaign and distributed leaflets to tourists, urging everyone to take responsibility for maintaining a clean environment.
Special guests at the event included Lion Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, Founder and Chairman of Cox’s Bazar International University, and Dr Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Founder and CEO of YPSA.
The event saw active participation from youth volunteers, media personnel, members of the Tourist Police, and local representatives. Together, they collected approximately 250 kilograms of plastic and other solid waste from the beach, which was then handed over to the authorities for environmentally responsible disposal.
In his speech, Dr Hossain, along with other speakers, urged collective efforts to keep the beach free from pollution and encouraged the reduction of single-use plastic in tourist spots.
The media’s role in raising awareness and the Tourist Police’s contribution to promoting responsible tourism were also acknowledged.
The campaign was supported by Chattogram City Corporation, the Tourist Police of the Cox’s Bazar region, and YPSA, with 120 trained volunteers joining the initiative.
Additionally, YPSA, in collaboration with Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL), is working alongside Chattogram City Corporation to implement the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) project. Other projects focused on plastic waste management, such as the Smart Project with PKSF and the Plastic Circularity Project with UNDP, are also underway.
