The tourism sector contributes significantly to the problem of excessive plastic usage, but it is also a victim of it. According to National Geographic, plastic makes up 73% of beach litter globally, 85% of floating garbage, and 45% to 95% of litter discovered on the Mediterranean Sea’s bottom. The most common single-use plastic products discovered are straws, bottles, and cotton buds. Tourists are both responsible for the generation of waste and destruction of the environmental condition, creating a double bind.

The High Court of Bangladesh has ordered the concerned authorities to phase out Single-use plastic products within 31 December 2022 from the coastal area. Following the High Court’s order, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change have issued a gadget instructing all concerned to completely stop the use of single-use plastic from 12 coastal districts of Bangladesh by 2023.

To explore the strategy of phasing out single-use plastic nationwide, Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO organized a virtual stakeholder consultation and roundtable meeting on the 16th of February 2022.

Syed Marghub Murshed, former Secretary of Bangladesh and Chairperson of ESDO honored the As the chief guest. Ms. Keya Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Forest and Climate Change, Jabed Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer (Additional Secretary), Bangladesh Tourism Board, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Chief Executive, BELA, Bangladesh Plastic Association’s President, Mr. Shamim Ahmed, attended the event and shared their valuable thoughts.

one of the guest speakers of the event, Secretary General of ESDO, Dr. Shahriar Hossain expressed his concern about single-use plastic products in coastal areas, hotels, motels, and restaurants, as well as the associated health and environmental risks.