Staff Correspondent

Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan today vowed that her ministry would be turned into a public-friendly one, while an instance would be set by taking effective steps in checking various pollutions.

Seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs in the students’ quota reform movement, she said opportunities will be created for student representatives to participate in the activities of the ministry.

“Motivational activities will be carried out to bring pace in the activities of officers and employees of the ministry and its affiliated offices,” the environment adviser said while exchanging views with the ministry’s officials at the Bangladesh Secretariat here on the first day of her office.

She said an action plan will be taken and implemented in the light of the current public expectations, keeping the ongoing mandates of the environment ministry.

Rizwana said preventing the use of polythene and single-use plastics, checking air pollution, noise pollution caused by car horns, taking initiatives to check river pollution, developing waste management, protecting hills, preserving forests, saving waterbodies, directives of high court on environmental protection will be implemented on a priority basis.

She said the ministry will exchange views regularly with international and national organisations, civil society, mass media, private sector, academics, professionals and others aiming to increase the involvement of all stakeholders related to the environment.

An initiative will be taken to speed up the complaint settlement activities of the ministry and its affiliated entities, the adviser said, adding that regular meeting of the National Environment Committee will be held to take important decisions on environmental protection.

The decisions of the ministry and its affiliated bodies will be regularly updated on its website to ensure transparency and accountability as per the expectations of the people, she added.

The environment secretary and senior officials of the ministry were present at the meeting.

On her arrival earlier in the ministry, Syeda Rizwana Hasan was welcomed by the senior officials of the ministry.