State Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam on Wednesday said health consequences, along with environmental impacts, should be assessed for development projects to ensure public health and well-being.

He urged all to adopt environmental-friendly waste-management practices to prevent pollution of rivers, soil and air.

Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Waste-Free Bangladesh: Our Responsibility”, organised by the Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB) at the Jatiya Press Club, the state minister urged journalists to publish more reports on environmental conservation and highlight shortcomings in government initiatives.

He said the government is working to find nature-based and environment-friendly solutions to various problems, mentioning its plans to plant 25 crore trees, dig 20,000 kilometres of canals and launch electric buses.

Faridul said industrial factories discharge waste at 425 points into the five rivers around Dhaka, underscoring the need to end the practice and urging journalists to come forward in this regard.

He said roads should be repaired soon after excavation to help reduce air pollution in Dhaka.

The meeting called for making Bangladesh healthy and habitable by properly managing waste and replenishing natural resources, according to a press release.

Keynote speaker Zakir Hossain Khan, managing director of Change Initiative, gave a virtual presentation highlighting the mountains of garbage accumulating in various sectors across the country and outlined ways to reduce waste to zero through recycling, recovery and regeneration of resources under a circular economy.

Forum General Secretary and Jatiya Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, and Forum Executive Member and Jatiya Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, among others, took part in the discussion, which was chaired by Forum President Mostafa Kamal Majumdar.