'Thousands' shop by exchanging plastic waste in Kamrangirchar, says DSCC

The “Market in Exchange for Waste” program, jointly organized by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Bidyanondo Foundation to increase citizens’ direct participation in building a clean city, ensure proper waste management and support the livelihoods of marginalized communities, has received an unprecedented response.

Thousands of residents of the area brought plastic waste from their homes and exchanged it for essential household items at the temporary market set up today, Saturday, on the premises of Ashrafabad High School in Kamrangirchar, the capital.

The program was formally inaugurated by the chief guest,

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Abdus Salam inaugurated a makeshift market for buying essentials with plastic waste at Ashrafabad High School in Kamrangirchar, Dhaka on Saturday. Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman joined the inauguration event.

Afterwards, thousands of shoppers brought goods from the market, read a press release issued by the DSCC.

Addressing the launching event, the DSCC administrator said, “Active participation by citizens is essential to building a clean city. The ‘Market in Exchange for Waste’ is an effective model for encouraging such participation. Dumping plastic and other waste in drains and sewers obstructs water drainage, causing waterlogging. If citizens deposit waste at designated places, it will help ensure both the resolution of waterlogging and environmental protection.”

Announcing plans to expand the awareness initiative across the city, the administrator said a permanent stall would soon be set up in Gulistan under the initiative of DSCC. The program will also be gradually expanded to every ward of DSCC. In addition, there are plans to launch a “Food in Exchange for Reading” program at convenient locations of Secondary Transfer Stations (STSs), with chairs, tables and books, to help bring education to street children. At the end of his speech, he urged the residents of Kamrangirchar to protect the Buriganga River, keep it free from encroachment and refrain from dumping waste indiscriminately.

Bidyanondo Foundation Executive Director Jamal Uddin said, “Rather than merely providing assistance to marginalized communities, we are making them partners in cleanliness campaigns. Over the past two years, we have earned around Tk1 crore by selling the plastic waste collected, which has been enough to provide meals to nearly 400,000 people.”

It may be noted that under the project, a target has been set to collect around 100,000 kilograms of plastic waste through 100 mobile campaigns over the next year.

DSCC Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md. Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar, senior officials of the city corporation and volunteers from Bidyanondo Foundation were present at the inaugural ceremony.