The Department of Environment (DoE) in Barishal, in collaboration with the Environment and Social Development Organization- ESDO, conducted a full-day orientation workshop on May 9, 2024, aimed at creating plastic-free campuses. This initiative is part of a larger project launched by ESDO in 2022, which has now become a priority under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) 100-day action plan.

The project focuses on promoting plastic-free campuses in Bangladesh, with Barishal Govt. Girls High School and Barishal Zilla School selected as participating institutions. By June, the MoEFCC aims to declare these campuses completely free of plastic.

The workshop aimed to increase awareness about the negative impact of plastic and promote sustainable alternatives. Attendees were educated on the significance of reducing plastic usage, plastic pollution, microplastic pollution, and the necessary steps to create a plastic-free campus. The event featured group discussions, poster presentations, and opportunities for attendees to share their thoughts and feedback.

The workshop was inaugurated by A. H. M. Rashed, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment, Barishal division. Sessions were conducted by ESDO’s team members, including Khalilur Rahman, Assistant Program Officer, Jannatul Ferdous Jubly, Program Associate, and Shanon Iffat Alam, Program Associate.

ESDO has already successfully implemented Plastic-free Campus activities in 10 other schools across five divisional headquarters, namely Dhaka, Rangpur, Sylhet, Khulna, and Rajshahi.