Govt will follow Japanese model to make educational institutions clean, green: Saber Hossain

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury on Sunday said the Japanese model will be followed to eliminate waste, including single-use plastics, in educational institutions.

“The country’s schools will be ‘clean and green’ by improving waste management using the Japanese Dream Education model. A large number of trees will be planted at schools,” he said.

The environment minister made the remarks after a bilateral meeting with a delegation, led by Secretary General of School Aid Japan, Bangladesh, Katsushi Furusawa, at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka.

Katsushi Furusawa said, “I want to set an example by creating an exemplary model for creating awareness about environmental conservation and cleanliness at schools.”

“We want to implement the SDGs club programme in 100 educational institutions, which will lead to the creation of an environment-friendly nation. We want to spread the model of waste management in educational institutions all over Bangladesh and want to contribute significantly to the expansion of environmental education,” the envoy added.

Earlier, at a meeting with Narayanganj city Mayor Dr Selina Hayat Ivy, the environment minister said big cities like Narayanganj and Gazipur will be prioritised to eliminate waste and pollution.

Later, the minister held a meeting with a delegation led by Professor John Rowan of Dundee University.

During the meeting, he emphasised working in partnership with Scotland on climate issues, especially loss and damage issues.

In another meeting with UNUMEN’s delegation, Saber Hossain said the Bangladesh government is working on women’s empowerment and is preparing a gender budget.