Unilever Bangladesh Limited organised an awareness programme on plastic waste management at Pahartali Girls School and College in Chattogram on 31 August, in partnership with Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Young Power in Social Action (YPSA). The event forms part of a joint initiative the three organisations have run since 2022 to improve plastic waste management across the Chattogram City Corporation area.
The programme was attended by Ruhul Quddus Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Unilever Bangladesh; S M Tareque Saifullah, Factory Director of Unilever Bangladesh Limited; and Dr Md Arifur Rahman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of YPSA, along with officials from the partner organisations. Speaking to students, Khan highlighted the harmful effects of plastic waste and urged them to dispose of waste in designated places, reduce plastic use, segregate waste and take part in clean-up activities.
Under the initiative, three-colour waste segregation bins have been installed at 111 schools and madrasas across the CCC area, helping students learn to segregate waste by type and apply the habit at home. The awareness activities have reached more than 11,500 students, with workshops also organised for university teachers and students. Participating teachers and students receive regular training and support to pass the message on to their families, friends and communities, with the initiative placing particular emphasis on driving behavioural change beyond the classroom.
Alongside the school-based programme, the initiative works to strengthen plastic waste collection and management across all 41 wards of Chattogram city, while improving the capabilities and safety of waste workers. It has so far collected more than 35,000 tonnes of plastic waste and trained 3,000 waste workers and 220 scrap dealers in plastic waste management, health and safety, and basic business skills. Nearly 2,000 waste workers have received safety gear, and 1,827 have been brought under group insurance coverage. Door-to-door awareness activities have reached approximately 28,000 households with messages on waste segregation and responsible plastic waste management.
Representatives of the organising institutions said in a press release that such activities would continue, to encourage the next generation to play a more active and responsible role in protecting the environment.
