Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, July 10, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a meeting viewed that community support can be the crucial means of curbing plastic pollution as it is affecting both environment and agriculture in the region badly.

They mentioned that the present interim government is very much positive to reduce the plastic pollution so the public in general should support the government endeavour wholeheartedly.

These were revealed by experts and development activists at a public engagement meeting to maintain ecological balance and protecting the vulnerable communities from the adverse impact of climate change and environmental degradation at Mohar village under Tanore Upazila in the district on Wednesday.

DASCOH Foundation and NETZ Bangladesh as part of the implementation of their project titled "Environmental Human Rights for a Just Transition: Strengthened Local CSOs Transforming Climate Hotspots into Resilient Communities (ENGAGE)" organized the workshop co-funded by European Union (EU). 

Upazila Forest Officer Sarwar Jahan, EU Representative Hubert Blom, Chief Executive Officer of DASCOH Foundation Akramul Haque, NETZ Bangladesh Director Shahidul Islam and its representative Sara Khatun spoke on the occasion disseminating their expertise on the issue.

DASCOH Foundation Project Director Jahangir Alam Khan gave an overview of the project along with its goals, objectives and implementation strategy during his keynote presentation.

He said the project is being implemented in Tanore and Godagari Upazilas in Rajshahi district, while Manda and Mohadevpur Upazilas in Naogaon district with the main thrust of raising awareness among communities and public authorities through sensitizing them.

The Barind region is ecologically diverse, yet environmentally critical and vulnerable.

 It faces challenges related to water scarcity and the adverse impacts of climate change, which are making agriculture, as well as the living and livelihood conditions of the people, increasingly difficult.

Hubert Blom stated that the adverse impact of climate change has been posing a serious threat to the overall living and livelihood condition in the region including its vast Barind tract.

He also viewed the climate change has been acknowledged as the depletion of natural resources and as a major threat to the humanity in the region and urged the policy planners and others concerned to take immediate effective measures to address the adverse impact of the change caused by global warming.

Integrated efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned can be the crucial means of quelling the crises. 

There is no way but to unite initiative towards protection and rehabilitation of the displaced population.

Akramul Haque said the widespread adoption of plastic-dependent agricultural practices has significantly degraded soil fertility, disrupted water systems, and negatively affected the natural balance of the environment.
 
Conventionally, farmers use plastic in various farming activities-particularly plastic mulching sheets for crops, plastic bags for fruits, plastic irrigation pipes, and plastic packaging for seeds and pesticides-either consciously or unconsciously.

In his remarks, Shahidul Islam said plastic is not only an environmental threat but also destructive to indigenous agricultural knowledge, local culture and traditional health practices.