Don’t use 'one-time plastic' products, CA urges people

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has urged the citizens to refrain from using 'one-time plastic' products, reports bdnews24.com.

He made the call while inaugurating a tree plantation drive at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre on Wednesday. Yunus highlighted the horrid environmental impact of plastic at the event as he planted a Sonalu tree as part of the inauguration of National Tree Plantation Drive and Tree Fair 2025.

The chief adviser said, "Today, the world is suffering from various crises, wars, widespread use of technology and its misuse, which have created various challenges for us." He added that currently, the people are at fault for the destruction of nature.

He said, "The climate crisis is gearing up to be an enormous issue for us. Use of plastic has escalated this crisis across the world." He added that along with plastic products many other factors are responsible for climate crisis, natural crisis, and loss of biodiversity.

"Plastic has become such a menace that it is threatening our existence. Either it lives or we do. We cannot exist together."

Yunus said, "As there is no proper plastic management, the global water bodies are filled with polythene and plastic. Biodiversity is facing destruction."

The chief adviser noted that Bangladesh ranks ninth in plastic waste management globally. "Clearly, we're on a suicidal path. We'll sit together formally for a day and discuss it, then go home. Life will continue to move towards destruction."

Highlighting the way polythene and plastic have spread across the country's rivers, canals, agricultural lands, villages and cities, Yunus said: "We all know it. Some rivers have a layer of seven to eight feet of plastic on the bottom. This is not only worrying, it is terrifying."

"An even more terrifying thing is microplastic, which cannot be seen by the naked eye. A little while ago, Rizwana explained to us that there is microplastic even in breastmilk. Babies are now born with microplastics. A few days ago, microplastics were found in Hilsa fish in Bangladesh. And that is just one fish, there are many more."

He said, "We don't have time to delay any more. We have to wake up now. If this problem is not resolved, we will not survive."

Yunus highlighted that the interim government took measures against polythene shopping bags after it came into power.

"People laughed at us, but at least it stirred up discussion. What will we achieve with this? The good thing is that those who are young take the issue seriously, and that gives me hope. Those of us who are already old are the least bothered. Young people think about it, and we hope they will think on it more, so that they can live on this Earth. This (plastic) is their No. 1 enemy."

Yunus said, "The biggest way to reduce plastic pollution is to stop using it as much as possible."