A voluntary organisation in Tangail has taken an innovative, eco-friendly initiative to protect the environment under the slogan, “Submit plastic, take environment-friendly trees.”
The programme, organised by ‘Juboder Jonno Foundation’, was held on Saturday noon at the district council ground in Tangail town.
It drew enthusiastic participation from the public. The initiative aims to curb environmental pollution and raise awareness about the harmful impacts of plastic waste.
Throughout the day, hundreds of people, including students, deposited old plastic bottles and single-use plastic items in exchange for saplings. The organisers distributed various species of fruit-bearing, forest, medicinal and ornamental plants.
Local resident Sajeda Begum said unused plastic had been piling up at her home. She never imagined those items could be exchanged for saplings. She described the initiative as inspiring and commendable.
Student Aklima Akter, who learned about the programme through a Facebook post, also took part by bringing plastic waste from home. She said such initiatives should be organised regularly so that students like her can collect more saplings. She added that she gathered several varieties of plants by depositing discarded plastic.
Muyeed Hasan Tarit, founder of the initiative and president of Juboder Jonno Foundation, said the organisation wants the younger generation to take a leading role in protecting the environment. He said plastic is a major threat, with around 25,000 tonnes of plastic ending up in the sea every year. Depending on the type, plastic can take between 500 and 1,000 years to decompose in soil.
He said the initiative aims to convey a simple message, “discarded plastic is harmful, but a sapling can provide oxygen and become a blessing for future generations.”
The organisation plans to expand the programme to 21 districts across the country, as well as to different upazilas and educational institutions in Tangail. Its goal is to transform every district town in Bangladesh into a ‘plastic-free and green city’.
Organisational Secretary Saiful Islam, Coordinator Zobayedur Rahman Hridoy, and members Alfi Islam, Raj Chowdhury, Yad Jihad and Poppy Akter, among others, were present at the event.
