Zubaida Rahman Pledges Bangladesh’s Support for Global Zero Waste Alliance
Bangladesh’s First Spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman has expressed the country’s strong support for the Global Zero Waste Alliance, calling for waste to be viewed not as something to be discarded but as a resource, a source of energy and an opportunity for growth.
She made the remarks on Wednesday (November 11) at a high-level meeting of the spouses of heads of state and government held as part of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye. The meeting, titled ‘Global Zero Waste Alliance’, was chaired by Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan.
At the beginning of her speech, Dr Zubaida Rahman thanked Emine Erdogan for organising the meeting and praised her leadership in advancing the zero-waste initiative. She said, “Bangladesh warmly welcomes and strongly supports the Global Zero Waste Alliance. This initiative is fully aligned with the Government of Bangladesh’s vision of building a cleaner environment, healthier communities and a sustainable future.”
Highlighting Bangladesh’s waste management initiatives, she said the government was promoting waste reduction, reuse and recycling through its ‘3R’ strategy. The Solid Waste Management Rules have also strengthened waste segregation and safe disposal systems.
Dr Zubaida Rahman said Bangladesh had set a target under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector by 1.78 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035.
She said the government was prioritising recycling, composting, landfill gas recovery, waste-to-energy generation, advanced wastewater treatment and the safe management of medical and healthcare waste. These initiatives aim to ensure proper waste segregation, processing and environmentally sound disposal.
Referring to a major waste-to-energy project planned in Dhaka, she said it would process 3,000 tonnes of household waste daily to generate 42.5 megawatts of electricity. The government also plans to expand similar projects to other major cities.
She said the government’s goal was to turn urban waste into clean energy while protecting the environment. Initiatives to reduce plastic pollution by cleaning lakes, canals, ponds and other water bodies were also continuing.
Highlighting the potential of jute as an alternative to plastic, Dr Zubaida Rahman said Bangladesh was working to increase the use of jute products as substitutes for plastic. She also invited the delegates to visit the Bangladesh Jute Pavilion in the Green Zone of the conference.
On reducing methane emissions, she said Bangladesh was committed to the goal as a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge. The government was promoting climate-friendly agriculture and improved rice cultivation methods. Initiatives were also underway to produce organic fertiliser and clean energy from organic waste.
Emphasising the importance of international cooperation in building a zero-waste world, she said the goal could not be achieved through individual efforts alone. Affordable climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building support were essential. She also stressed the need for strong private-sector participation and adequate protection for informal waste workers.
Calling for greater youth involvement in environmental protection, she said environmental awareness must begin at home, in schools and within communities. Young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also important partners in solving today’s challenges.
Concluding her speech, Dr Zubaida Rahman said waste should not be allowed to go unused. Instead, it should be transformed into a resource, a source of energy and an opportunity for growth. She called for turning waste into resources, pollution into solutions and commitments into concrete action. She added that Bangladesh was fully prepared to strengthen global cooperation and help translate shared commitments into action.
