Home ›› 30 Dec 2022 ›› News
Every year thousands of tourists travel to different natural locations aiming to take a break from their busy life. Cox’s Bazar sea beach and St Martin’s Island are two of the major tourist spots in the country. But due to swarms of tourists over the years, the coastal area is losing its beauty. One of the main reasons is pollution, mostly plastic pollution caused by them.
Many organisations from the private sector such as Coca-Cola has been conducting annual coastal clean-up drive in Saint Martin’s Island in its efforts to create a world without waste and help build awareness among people to preserve and protect natural heritages. But only everyone’s participation can protect these natural heritages in the future. From this perspective, Coca-Cola, the leading global beverage company, has been conducting awareness campaign styled International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) for last 12 years.
As a global initiative to achieve a ‘World without Waste’ by 2030, the Coca-Cola System in Bangladesh in partnership with Kewkradong Bangladesh successfully conducted a coastal clean-up drive across the beaches of Saint Martin’s Island recently. The two organisations have teamed up for annual International Coastal Cleanup for 12 consecutive years. Kewkradong Bangladesh is the country coordinator of Ocean Conservancy, an international non-profit organisation working to protect the ocean.
More than 450 volunteers participated in the 12th edition of the initiative recently. People from all walks of life, including locals of Saint Martin’s and university students and professionals from all over the country, took part in the event. The event was organised in sync with the 36th annual International Coastal Cleanup. This year the participants managed to remove more than 1,800 kilograms of marine debris from the shores of St Martin’s. Most of the marine debris consisted of food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles and plastic materials.
The people concerned say an extensive use of plastic materials, mostly containers and their dumping largely by tourists, is seriously polluting the environment of the beaches in Saint Martin’s Island in south of Cox’s Bazar. Such dumping of plastic waste is seriously threatening the livelihoods of local people who largely depend on natural resources. In this situation, initiatives like International Coastal Cleanup have helped in creating awareness among the people to safeguard the island known as ‘Narikel Zinzira’.
Current UP chairman of St. Martin’s Union Mujibur Rahman said, “To raise awareness, some organisations are working in the island. Apart from the government side, many banners and signboards have been displayed to make the tourists aware of the effects of such plastic waste pollution in the island. But if we want to make any significant effort, private sector’s involvement is very much necessary. I appreciate Coca-Cola and Kewkradong Bangladesh for this praiseworthy initiative.”
According to the data of the company, more than 5,000 people have volunteered in this initiative from 2011 to 2021. At that time, one hundred and fifty-five thousand items like cigarette butts, food wrapper, straws, plastic beverage bottles and other marine debris have been collected from the sandbank. In quantity, that is more than 13 thousand kilograms. Managing Director of Coca-Cola Bangladesh Ta Duy Tung said, “Plastic pollution is a problem faced globally and it is a problem we humans created. Among our many plastic waste management initiatives, we conduct this coastal clean-up drive. This is a responsibility we all have to acknowledge and anyone visiting these areas shouldn’t pollute natural beauties. I sincerely hope, through this initiative, people will be more aware, and we will be able to achieve a world without waste.”
In the St Martin’s conclave, a variety of algae, snail-mussels and countless species of fishes are seen. This island is also famous for green sea turtle, olive-colored sea turtle, and several species of corals. Due to the arrival of a large number of tourists during the peak season, the government has taken various legal steps by imposing restrictions to protect the beauty and nature of the island. Various public and private organisations, including the Department of Environment are working in this regard.
There are laws to protect the environment, but those are hardly enforced. Various non-biodegradable waste, including plastic bottles, chips packets, pickle packets, polythene, cans, tea cups, water bottles, straws, packets, pieces of fishing nets, nylon ropes are scattered all over the island. Apart from this, household waste is added along with hundreds of small and large hotels and restaurants that emerged in recent times.
Country Co-coordinator of Ocean Conservancy Muntasir Mamun said, “Thousands of tourists visit Saint Martin’s Island every year. It’s all of our responsibility to keep it clean and preserve this natural beauty. With the help of Coca-Cola, we have been continuing this initiative for past 12 years but I urge everyone to take step from their own sides and keep this beautiful island clean for the future generation.”
