On the occasion of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Pure Earth Bangladesh organized this seminar titled ‘Progress Towards a Lead-Free Bangladesh’. At the event, the minister said that on August 17, the cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, approved this action plan to build a lead-free Bangladesh. He called on development partners and the private sector to provide financial and technical support for its implementation. The environment minister also mentioned that work is ongoing to formulate an ‘Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)’ framework to prevent pollution from the lead-acid battery industry.

Emphasizing the participation of young people, the minister said that youth must be more actively involved in raising public awareness and implementing innovative solutions to prevent lead pollution. On that day, the ‘National Youth Coalition for a Lead-Free Bangladesh’ was officially launched at the seminar, and two portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) machines were handed over to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Environment. The event, chaired by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, was attended by Director of IEDCR Professor Dr. Kazi Ahmed Jaki, Additional Director General of the Department of Environment Mohammad Solaiman Haider, Country Director of Pure Earth Bangladesh Mitali Das, and others.