A volunteer organisation called the Green Humanity Society (GHS) has given fruit tree saplings of various kinds to more than a hundred people in Kishoreganj in exchange for plastic waste.
The saplings were handed out on Friday afternoon at the open stage of Gurudayal Government College in Kishoreganj town, at the organisation’s Green Friday programme.
Friday’s was the sixth round of the programme and the last of this year. In five earlier rounds the group gave out more than a thousand saplings.
People from all walks of life came with plastic waste to collect saplings during the programme, which ran from 3:30pm to 6pm. Some handed in discarded plastic bottles, some the broken arms of plastic chairs and others old plastic toys.
The organisation said the programme was held to stop plastic waste being dumped anywhere and everywhere and to encourage people to plant trees.
Abdur Rouf, 52, of the town’s Gaital area came with a large bag full of bottles.
“The bottles were lying abandoned in a corner of the house,” he said. “I heard about the programme on Facebook and brought them along. I got 10 fruit tree saplings in exchange. I will plant them in my yard. I really like what they are doing.”
Arif, 10, a schoolboy from the Kharampatti area, had been saving bottles at home for a month after hearing of the programme. “I got two guava saplings and a lemon sapling. I will plant them on the roof. I am very happy to get them,” he said.
The organisation’s founder and convener, Ashikuzzaman Ashik, said protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, and that the group is working to build the habit of collecting waste and a sense of responsibility for the environment.
Its member secretary, Ashraful Islam Nadim, said people’s spontaneous participation had inspired them and that they want to spread this awareness to more people.
Assistant organising secretary Rubayed Ahmed said big change can come from small initiatives, and that the group’s aim is to build environment-friendly habits through collecting plastic waste and planting trees.
A “Green Lucky Draw” with prizes for participants was also held. Tobibi Safe Food supported the event.
According to the organisers, in this year’s six events, including the five earlier rounds, they have given more than a thousand saplings to several hundred people under the Green Humanity Society banner. The society works on environmental conservation, preventing plastic pollution, tree planting, educational support and public welfare.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report