Cordaid’s plastic waste management project RESILIENT in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation marks a new milestone with the launch of one of the key components of the initiative, Buy-Back Centre (Plastic Bazar) in Narayanganj, according to a press release. The project was made possible due to a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation, it said. By establishing Buy-Back Centers, the project aims to elevate two waste collectors to the level of aggregators, creating green entrepreneurs and enhancing plastic waste collection methods to eliminate plastic waste from ecosystems. High-level delegation of ADB meets LGRD minister  These centre act as community recycling facilities, where recyclables like plastics, paper, cans, glass, and PET bottles are purchased, sorted, and resold to aggregators and recyclers. This system allows 400 local waste collectors and approximately 11,000 community members to earn an income by selling their recyclables. Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive Officer of Narayanganj City Corporation inaugurated the centre. In addition, Abul Kalam Azad, Program Director, Cordaid and Md Firoz Alam, Project Manager – RESILIENT, Cordaid Bangladesh were present at the time, among others. Nasrul Hamid seeks ADB's help to create regional power market One of the key contributors behind the thought process of the Buy-Back center, Narayanganj Mayor Dr Salina Hayat Ivy said that, “The City Corporation has been working tirelessly to make Narayanganj city green, clean, vibrant, and pollution-free. Creating green Narayanganj has always been our dream. In line with this, innovative approaches like Plastic Buy-Back Centers will further accelerate our work. This is a commendable initiative and it will financially enable the waste workers, especially female waste workers. I appreciate everyone associated with this initiative, including the residents of the city, and urge everyone to work together to tackle the issue of plastic pollution more effectively.” While Buy-Back Centres offer transformative benefits for all waste collectors, women are more encouraged to participate and benefit from this initiative as they are less privileged in this sector. These centres provide a more formalized and stable platform for selling recyclable materials, potentially leading to consistent and higher incomes, added the release. UCB taking steps to offer easy loans to agricultural entrepreneurs Cordaid, with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, is implementing the RESILIENT project (Recycling for the Environment by Strengthening Income and Livelihood of the Entrepreneurs) in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation. This project aims to enhance plastic waste management through capacitating both formal and informal plastic waste actors and collaborating with local service providers, city corporations, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The project focuses on at-source segregation of plastic waste in targeted clusters, ensuring the recovery of unsoiled plastic for increased income and livelihood opportunities. The Coca-Cola system in Bangladesh and The Coca-Cola Foundation are playing a significant role in supporting Bangladesh to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Local initiatives of the company’s global initiatives such as Plastic collection, Water Stewardship and Women Business Centre actively contribute to community development. 

Scientists at the coveted Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) have embarked on a research to analyse the value chain system in dry fish production as well as the impact of climate change on the industry as a whole. A team, led by Arif Billah, a postgraduate student of the SAU's fisheries technology and quality control department, has started the research under the National Science and Technology Fellowship Bangladesh. READ: Dublar Char comes alive as Sutki fish season gets underway "The impact of climate change on the production of dry fish and the future challenges will be the main focus of our research in the Sundarbans. This is because Katka in the southwest and Hiron point in the southeast are both disaster-prone areas," Arif told UNB. Prof Motahar Hosain of the department will supervise the research. “Every year, fishermen go to Dublar Char to catch fish by putting their lives at risk during the dry fish processing season. Our main motive is to find out the impact of climate change on the industry and its challenges. Besides, we also want to do research on the quality of the dried fish processing in Dublar Char to begin with,” he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged national parliaments everywhere to play their full part in advancing sustainable and inclusive responses to ensure a better and greener future for all.   This should include, in collaboration with civil society, national action plans against racial discrimination, he said.   "We must act together to rebuild a more equal, resilient and greener future for all," said the UN chief in a message for the Commemoration of the International Day of Parliamentarism that falls on June 30.   At the same time, he urged all to remember that no nation can succeed on its own.   "Let us seize every opportunity to reshape and secure our common future, take ambitious climate action and place human rights and human dignity at the core of our work," Guterres said.   The UN chief  said the International Day of Parliamentarism is a timely occasion to honour the pivotal role of Parliaments in giving people a voice and influence to shape policy.   "As a former Parliamentarian, I am deeply conscious of the responsibility and privilege of representing people and delivering on their aspirations," said the UN chief.   Parliaments have a special duty to advance human rights and promote sustainable development, he said adding that more than ever, the COVID-19 pandemic reminds them of these vital tasks.   "As the world responds to the pandemic, we see the critical importance of adequate health systems, robust social safety networks, and equitable economic growth that generates decent jobs," Guterres said.   He mentioned: "We also see the most vulnerable in our societies, especially women, bearing the greatest burden."   The UN chief said inequalities, stigmas, divisions and the fragilities of the world have multiplied before their eyes.