Ever since the massive influx of over 700,000 Rohingyas in 2017, a massive amount of waste is being generated daily at the Rohingya camps. Recent figures suggest that over 10,000 tonnes of waste is generated monthly in Ukhia and Teknaf, two Upazilas most prominently affected by the crisis.

Neither have a functioning waste management system and much of this waste has been left in public areas, on the sides of roads, under bridges, including in the local water supply posing serious threats to the population there.

In this wake, on 25 June, 2019, as a part of United Nations Development Programme’s commitment to a greener Bangladesh, a pilot colour-coded residential waste management system was launched.

The initiative has been taken under UNDP’s project titled Sustainable Solutions to Solid Waste: A Local Response to the Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh, which is funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). 

Residents of 100 households in Ward 8 of Teknaf municipality were handed over 200 colour-coded waste bins after successful completion of a two-day training held on June 18 and 19. The initiative aims to support proper knowledge of waste management, increase consciousness and bring positive behavioural changes amongst the community. 

“We are glad to partner with UNDP in this regard. Waste management is nearly always overlooked,” pointed out Haji Mohammad Islam, Mayor of Teknaf, at the distribution ceremony at the municipal office.

Speaking on behalf of UNDP, Sayed Monjurul Islam reminded the beneficiaries to use the green bucket for organic waste and the blue one for inorganic waste as they were taught in the training.

The ceremony ended with the launch of the construction of a compost site at Teknaf Municipality by the mayor.