Dhaka:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's spouse and eminent physician Dr Zubaida Rahman emphasized the importance of transforming waste into energy and economic opportunities during a high-level meeting of spouses of heads of state and government at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). She advocated for waste to be seen as a resource rather than being discarded without use.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr Zubaida expressed gratitude to Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan for her leadership in the zero-waste agenda and highlighted Bangladesh's support for the Global Zero Waste Alliance. She mentioned that this aligns with Bangladesh's vision for a clean environment and a sustainable future.
Dr Zubaida noted that Bangladesh is working to enhance waste reduction, reuse, and recycling through strengthened waste segregation and disposal systems under the Solid Waste Management Rules. The country's Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.78 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from the waste sector by 2035.
She also mentioned a significant waste-to-energy project in Dhaka, which will process 3,000 tonnes of household waste daily to generate 42.5 megawatts of electricity. Plans to expand similar projects to other major cities are underway, with the key objective of converting urban waste to clean energy while protecting the environment.
Dr Zubaida highlighted ongoing initiatives to reduce plastic pollution and promote jute products as alternatives to plastic. She invited conference delegates to visit the Bangladesh Jute Pavilion to explore jute-based products.
As a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, Bangladesh is committed to reducing methane emissions and promoting climate-friendly agricultural practices. Dr Zubaida underscored the need for international cooperation, affordable climate finance, and technology transfer to achieve a zero-waste world.
She also called for private-sector participation and protection for informal waste management workers, emphasizing the role of the younger generation in environmental awareness and action. Dr Zubaida affirmed Bangladesh's readiness to strengthen global cooperation and turn collective commitments into action.