UNIDO and BD Clean Free Panchagarh Railway Station from Plastic Waste

Staff Reporter: A large-scale cleanup drive was recently conducted at the Panchagarh Railway Station in the northern district with the core message of environmental protection through reducing plastic pollution, waste segregation, and sustainable waste management. The initiative was successfully implemented through a joint collaboration between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the country’s leading volunteer organization, “BD Clean.”

According to the organizers, more than 300 local volunteers, including over a hundred dedicated members of BD Clean Panchagarh, spontaneously participated in the campaign. During the day-long drive, approximately 4.5 tons of single-use plastics and polythene waste were removed from the station area and its surroundings. Alongside the waste removal, an awareness discussion session was held on the station premises to highlight the harmful effects of plastic pollution and discourage indiscriminate littering.

The program was organized under a special project titled “Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh.” Implemented under the direct supervision of the Department of Environment, the project receives technical support from the international organization UNIDO, with overall financial backing from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka.

Panchagarh Railway Station is a vital and bustling hub for thousands of commuters in the region. Due to the heavy daily footfall, the accumulation of plastic and polythene waste is typically high. The initiative was undertaken with the specific goal of keeping the station and its surrounding environment clean, while ensuring that plastic waste does not spread into nearby residential areas, open water bodies, and nature to cause severe ecological damage.

Md. Nazmul Haque, BD Clean’s Rangpur Divisional Coordinator, was present during the cleaning activities to oversee and coordinate the event. Members of BD Clean Panchagarh diligently worked alongside him to clean the entire station compound.

The organizers expressed optimism that such ongoing public awareness and cleanup campaigns across the country will foster a sense of responsible waste management among the general public and encourage people to adopt more eco-friendly behaviors.