“Single-Use Plastic is the most toxic pollutant in the plastic waste stream, to protect the ecosystem and public health it is an urgent need to Ban SUP Immediately”. Activists and experts urged the government to initiate necessary steps to ban single-use plastic in Bangladesh. To address this need and to observe ‘International Plastic Bag Free Day 2021.’Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO, in collaboration with Plastic Solution Fund – PSF organized a virtual session to launch a network on “Bangladesh Network for Banning Single-Use Plastic” and invited the different organizations to join this group to work united against plastic pollution.

For enabling the ‘Break Free from Plastic-BFFP’ membership drive, the group is formed to focus on particularly ban single-use plastic items and urges legislation to ban single-use plastic in Bangladesh which is putting our lives in danger and creating environmental health issues. ESDO’s Secretary General Dr. Shahriar Hossain said,’ the government alone cannot improve the situation. We need to work together and find an alternative solution. Yet the pathway is a big dream as we, as consumers, are not aware of the adverse effect of the usage of plastic.’ Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO, said the government should take steps to ensure environmentally safe management of plastic waste. 

Different Organizations like; Prokiti O Jibon Foundation, Green Savers, Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Mati, Center for Environment, Human Rights & Development forum-CEHRDF attended the webinar and agreed to join the group. They exchanged their views on the SUP waste management situation in Bangladesh and they were enthusiastic to work for a sustainable environment.

On the occasion of international bag free day, ESDO initiated monthlong campaign tile “Plastic Free July” jointly with GAIA and BFFP. ESDO team also released an awareness poster and Video, link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm0aTPznQjI

Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO started its journey in 1990 with the Polythene Bag ban campaign and in the last 31 years, ESDO is working to reduce pollutants from the environment. So that, we can breathe freely in a sustainable environment. As a part of its continuous supervision of keeping the country polythene bag free, ESDO conducts this session.