COX’S BAZAR, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS) – During a two-day beach cleaning program on St. Martin Island, volunteers have successfully collected 2,500 kilograms of waste in 200 bags, under the initiative of the Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Project on Biodiversity.

The campaign began at 2 pm on Saturday and continued through Sunday, drawing more than a hundred volunteers, including local youth, students, and members of various voluntary organizations.

The program was inaugurated through a virtual speech by Jamir Uddin, Director of the Department of Environment, Cox’s Bazar, and a pledge to protect the environment by Project Director Kamrul Hasan.

Speaking at the event, Jamir Uddin emphasized that the Department of Environment organizes beach cleaning programs annually at the end of the tourist season. “The main goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic waste and to foster an environmentally friendly mindset among people. Such campaigns will continue until sufficient awareness is created among islanders and tourists,” he said.

Project Director Kamrul Hasan urged citizens to actively protect St. Martin from plastic pollution. “St. Martin is a unique and vital natural resource of Bangladesh. Preserving it for current and future generations is our collective responsibility,” he said.

Other officials present at the program included Abdul Latif Joni, Assistant Director of the Department of Environment, Cox’s Bazar; UDP-BRAC St. Martin’s Project Coordinator Mangwan Line; Mobilizer Martin Kumar Biswas; Field Coordinator Muhammad Rafiq; DPH St. Martin’s Project Supervisor Zainul Abedin; and PRAN-RFL Temporary Waste Management Project Field Coordinator Osman Gani.

The campaign highlights ongoing efforts to maintain the ecological health of St. Martin Island and promotes public awareness among people regarding plastic pollution.