Agrilife24.com:Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL), the country’s leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods company, joined forces with Kewkradong Bangladesh (KB) to spearhead the International Coastal Cleanup 2025 at St. Martin’s Island, one of Bangladesh’s most ecologically sensitive coastal areas. Unilever Bangladesh shared this information in a press release sent to the media on Sunday
During the event, 500 dedicated volunteers from universities and local communities collaborated to remove 1850 kilograms of marine debris from the island’s beaches, ensuring safe disposal on the mainland. The cleanup effort targeted a variety of waste items, including food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, bottle caps, plastic bags, utensils, lids and abandoned fishing nets helping mitigate the environmental impact of unmanaged waste and intensive tourism.
This year, the cleanup was strategically organized on the first weekend of the tourist season to maximize awareness and encourage responsible behavior among visitors. Volunteers conducted educational sessions and community activities, aiming to promote proper plastic waste disposal and inspire long-term behavioral changes. The initiative also sought to strengthen local stewardship and spread the environmental message to a wider audience through youth engagement.
Kewkradong Bangladesh, the country coordinator for the US-based Ocean Conservancy, has led beach cleanups at St. Martin’s Island for 15 years, contributing valuable data to global marine debris records. Their ongoing efforts along the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf peninsula and St. Martin’s Island have played a vital role in advancing the understanding of marine pollution in Bangladesh.
As a pioneer in plastic waste value chain intervention, Unilever Bangladesh continues to drive transformative change in the country’s waste management landscape. The company operates Bangladesh’s largest plastic waste management initiative in Chattogram, develops innovative solutions for virgin plastic reduction and refills, and consistently works to raise consumer awareness nationwide.
Shamima Akhter, Director - Corporate Affairs, Partnerships & Communications, Unilever Bangladesh Limited, said, “Plastic packaging plays an essential role in delivering safe, high-quality products, but its environmental impact must be addressed through responsible design, reduced virgin plastic use, and greater circulation of recycled materials. At Unilever Bangladesh, we are working with partners to remove more plastic from the environment than we place on the market, while supporting systems that enable proper collection and waste management. Our collaboration in the International Coastal Cleanup 2025 at St. Martin’s reflects this commitment in action, mobilising youth and communities to protect a fragile ecosystem and reinforcing the shared responsibility needed to accelerate long-term progress on plastic pollution.”
Muntasir Mamun, Country co-coordinator, Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, said, “It is a wonderful thing that Bangladesh is the biggest delta on Earth and has incredible sea beaches in various locations. Saint Martin is one of the national treasures of this country. However, evolving socioeconomic challenges are consistently creating a threat to the biodiversity of the beautiful island and the seashore. We believe Unilever’s proactive environmental stewardship will reach a new height as together, our partnership will inspire others to do what’s good for Bangladesh.”
