Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury on Sunday said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has always been at the forefront of climate action.

He lauded this initiative of the government of India as instrumental in drawing global attention to the need to combat coastal and marine pollution and to the critical role that citizen-centric participation plays in addressing it.

The High Commission of India in partnership with local organizations organized a “beach cleaning” activity, the “G20 Mega Beach Clean Up” at Patenga Beach in Chattogram. Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury attended the event as the chief guest.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma said the joint endeavour to preserve and protect coastal and marine habitat is a natural extension of the shared values and priorities of Bangladesh and India.

“India-Bangladesh bilateral relations are multifaceted and manifest in active cooperation in wide-ranging areas, including protection of shared natural ecosystems,” he said.

The High Commissioner highlighted that Bangladesh accepting India’s invitation to participate as a guest country during India’s G20 Presidency is reflective of the extensive and in-depth partnership which both countries share.

The hour-long event, organized under the rubric of India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, witnessed enthusiastic participation from distinguished members of Bangladesh Government, local administration, civil society and media as well as student and youth volunteers. 

The objective of the “G20 Mega Beach Clean Up” event is to sensitize and raise awareness about the impact of marine waste on the environment.

The importance of individual efforts and community participation in mitigating this environmental challenge was highlighted, said the High Commission.