Since the historic victory of the student-led movement during the July-August Uprising of 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has made significant strides in environmental, forest and biodiversity conservation under the leadership of adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
The achievements over the past year reflect the interim government’s strong commitment to tackling pollution, preserving natural resources and mitigating the effects of climate change.
One of the most notable initiatives launched in November 2024 was a nationwide crackdown on the use of banned polythene bags. In a concerted effort to curb plastic waste, 748 mobile courts were conducted, resulting in the collection of Taka 87.6 lakh from 1,397 violators.
Besides, one individual received a one-month prison sentence, four cases were filed and seven illegal polythene factories had their power connections severed. More than 292 metric tons of polythene were seized.
The ministry took significant steps to make the Bangladesh Secretariat plastic-free to further reduce plastic waste. A phased ban was imposed on 17 single-use plastic items, with stricter restrictions scheduled for implementation in the coming months.
The government also introduced a six-point restriction on Saint Martin’s Island, aiming to curb rampant plastic pollution in line with sustainable tourism efforts. The ministry is also working to create alternative livelihoods for island residents, ensuring the preservation of this critical ecosystem.
The ministry has begun creating a list of unlawful encroachers on hills in 19 areas where land recovery efforts are already in progress in order to address the ongoing problem of land encroachment.
In addition, several unlawful forest leases have been terminated in order to protect the nation’s abundant natural resources.
After being approved this year, the Madhupur Shal Forest Restoration Project has begun afforestation on 6,610 acres of forest land and restoration work on a another 1,111 acres.
Besides, a dedicated Taka 14.76 crore project has been launched to restore elephant habitats and forest areas in the Chunati Forest. As of June 2025, over 5,000 acres of forest land have been successfully recovered.
The ministry has also ramped up efforts to combat urban pollution. A revision of the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules was announced, with Shahjalal International Airport now designated a silent zone. In the past year, 484 mobile courts were conducted to tackle noise pollution with fines totaling Taka 15.5 lakh and the seizure of 1,644 illegal horns.
For air quality control, 3,063 cases were filed against polluting entities through 1,262 mobile courts. A total of Taka 257.5 crore in fines was collected while 484 brick kilns were shut down to reduce emissions.
In a bid to boost climate resilience, 41 projects were approved under the Climate Change Trust Fund with a budget of Taka 250 crore. These projects focus on critical areas such as research, river and canal re-excavation and biodiversity conservation.
On the institutional front, the ministry has made substantial progress by expanding the Department of Environment (DoE) with the creation of 3,569 new positions. A proposal has also been made for the establishment of a dedicated BCS (Environment and Forest) cadre. In the last year, 26 new appointments were made and 25 individuals received promotions within the ministry.
With the introduction of automated environmental monitoring software for enterprises, technological advancements have been a major area of focus. Additionally, by lowering import taxes on air purifiers from 25% to 10%, the ministry has attempted to increase accessibility. Additionally, in order to promote the manufacture and usage of air purifiers, other duties have been waived.
The ministry’s coordinated efforts have cleared the path for long-term sustainability in addition to setting a new standard for environmental preservation. These initiatives could greatly reduce the effects of climate change, increase biodiversity, and raise the standard of living for millions of Bangladeshis.
