UN Day Celebrated with Clean-up Campaigns in Dhaka and Sylhet

The 24th of October marks the 77th anniversary of the UN Charter ratification in 1945 – UN Day. The UN Charter is the foundational document which sets out both the mandate and structure of the United Nations. The occasion was marked in Bangladesh, where the UN has been active since 1971, with a series of clean-up events in Dhaka, and Sylhet. A similar event in Cox’s Bazar was postponed due to the predicted bad weather. UN Staff was joined by members of the Bangladesh Scouts, City Cooperation Cleaners and Government officials.

The Clean-up campaign was launched centrally at the South Plaza of the National Parliament by the honorable Minister Tajul Islam, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, in the presence of Dr. Md Mozammel Haque Khan, Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts, UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis,  scouts, rover scouts, city cooperation cleaners and UN Officials. Braving the pouring rain some 200 scouts, city cleaners and UN personnel including the senior-most UN officials in the country joined the event. The spirit of solidarity and celebration was evident despite the sea of umbrellas.

In her brief remarks the UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis said: “To mark the occasion of UN Day, we are happy to be standing alongside so many local partners and actively working on achieving our shared goals. The clean up events this morning might only make a small dent when it comes to trash management, but person by person, street by street it can be transformative.”

The honorable Minister Tajul Islam noted, “The United Nations has been a trusted partner of Bangladesh since 1971. In the last 50 years, Bangladesh to has greatly contributed to the UN as a proactive member state. I commend the UN and Bangladeshi Scouts for coming together to do the Clean-ups as part of the UN Day celebrations.”

Dr Md Mozammel Haque Khan, Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts, was pleased to see the young Scouts joining the clean-up campaign even in such unfavorable weather condition.

Clean up activities took place in five Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporation locations with the participation of local scouts, cleaners of the city corporation and UN staff under the leadership of respective Ward Councilors. The specific locations are: North side of Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Around Nagar Bhaban, Gulshan 2, Eden Women's College and College of Home Economics in Azimpur, Fulbaria- adjacent to Nagar Bhaban and Police Headquarters from Rajarbagh intersection to Malibagh intersection.

Simultaneously similar activities were undertaken in Sylhet with the support of local authorities, local scouts, City Corporation cleaners and UN Staff. Dr. Muhammad Mosharrof Hossian, Divisional Commissioner, Sylhet Division led the Sylhet clean up campaign. Dr Hossain mentioned ‘”A cleaner and greener environment is what we need right now. We have gone through COVID-19 crisis, the devastating floods and now Dengue. If we can make the habit of keeping the environment clean as part of our life, we can make a better and greener Bangladesh”.