DSCC and Bidyanondo launch plastic-for-groceries drive in Dhaka

In a joint initiative aimed at tackling environmental and urban challenges, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the Bidyanondo Foundation officially launched the 'Market in Exchange for Waste' program on August 31. The inauguration ceremony of this unique community-focused environmental drive took place at the field adjacent to the Hazaribagh slum located within ward number 55 of the capital city.

During the inaugural event, local residents actively participated by bringing their accumulated waste to the venue and exchanging it for a variety of essential daily commodities. The items distributed in return for the collected waste included staple food supplies and household goods such as rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, potatoes, and tissues.

Highlighting the importance of community involvement during the opening ceremony, Md. Abdus Salam emphasized that active participation from ordinary citizens is absolutely vital for building a clean and orderly urban environment. He noted that the 'Market in Exchange for Waste' initiative serves as a highly effective model designed precisely to encourage such public engagement in waste management.

Explaining the broader environmental impact, Md. Abdus Salam further pointed out that discarding various types of waste, including plastic materials, directly into drains and sewer lines severely obstructs water drainage systems and leads to severe waterlogging issues. He added that if citizens regularly deposit their waste in designated specific locations, it will successfully achieve dual goals: resolving persistent waterlogging problems while simultaneously ensuring robust environmental protection.

Providing operational insights into the broader initiative, Jamal Uddin stated that this project empowers marginalized populations by turning them into active partners in cleanliness rather than just passive recipients of aid. Highlighting the financial and social sustainability of the model, Jamal Uddin revealed that over the past two years, selling collected plastic waste has generated an income of approximately 1 crore taka, which has successfully made it possible to feed about 400,000 people.

Looking ahead toward future expansion, Jamal Uddin announced an ambitious new target for the organization and its municipal partner. Under this ongoing collaborative project, the authorities have set a firm goal to collect approximately 100,000 kilograms of waste over the course of the next year by organizing a total of 100 mobile campaigns across targeted communities.