Chattogram, May 7, 2025 — A workshop event titled “স্থানীয় জাহাজের বর্তমান প্লাস্টিক বর্জ্য অব্যবস্থাপনার ফলাফল ও প্রভাব এবং টেকসই বর্জ্য ব্যবস্থাপনার অনুশীলনে জাহাজকর্মীদের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি”was held on May 7, 2025 at the Hotel Shaikat.

Organized under the SCIP Plastics Project, the program aimed to disseminate recent findings regarding the rate of plastic waste generation by local vessels and the consequent environmental consequences. The session also shed light on the perceptions and practices of ship crew members related to sustainable waste management, with the goal of formulating an effective guideline for managing waste on local ships. Md. Ajijur Rahman, Junior Environmental Engineer of the SCIP Plastics project, was the program’s rapporteur.

Environmental Engineer Niloy Das from the SCIP Plastics Project presented key data and insights, elaborating on current waste management practices within port areas and the role and responsibility of crew members in reducing plastic pollution.

Prominent scientific experts, Prof. Sudip Kumar Pal and Prof. Asiful Hoque, addressed the systemic plastic waste mismanagement by local vessels docked at various ports. Both experts emphasized the urgent need for structured interventions and crew-level awareness to mitigate the growing environmental risks.

Officials from the Sadarghat License Office of lighter vessels were the key participants, underlining the significance of administrative collaboration in implementing waste management strategies effectively across the port’s operations.

The program marked a significant step forward in initiating evidence-based solutions to one of the critical challenges facing Bangladesh’s maritime waste management landscape.