A refreshing morning walk to start the day off right, beautiful scenery to put us into the right mood for the rest of the day, is that too much to ask for in a country?
Unfortunately, in Bangladesh, it is. The walkways are obstacle courses strewn with trash. We see plastic pollution everywhere in water bodies. We proudly say that our country is the land of rivers but in what situations are our rivers actually in now? Wherever you go you are welcomed by pollution here and there, be it littering on the streets or garbage floating on the lake. A lake is an integral part of our country, but the lakes are all in a sorry state.
At present, about 70% of Dhaka’s water is filled with contamination in some shape or form. The availability of freshwater is rapidly going down each day. At this rate, it is hard to predict if Dhaka’s future generation will have access to clean drinking water.
On 17th Sept, Volunteer for Bangladesh (VBD) Dhaka District initiated their awareness project called “Mission Aqua Cleansing”. Seeing garbage scattered all over the lake, they took the matter in their own hands to ensure that the water body of Dhanmondi is cleaned.
From 10 am in the morning, the yellow army of VBD Dhaka with 100 volunteers started cleaning the Dhanmondi Lake, from Robindro Sorobor to Dhanmondi 32. They started collecting trash from the lake. All the trash and garbage collected was then dumped in a safe place where the cleaners from City Corporation came to collect them from the spot.
Not only did they single-handedly pick clean up the lake, but they also spread awareness throughout the neighboring areas. From the local passerby to the food stall owners around the lake, they talked about the dangers of pollution, and how it will affect the future generations as a whole. The volunteers also discussed the ongoing global warming situation, and if we do not take proper steps to stop it now, then Bangladesh will be one of those very few countries that would be hit the hardest.
The young energetic volunteers made some handmade posters and placards containing slogans and awareness messages. With this, they have grabbed the attention of the people around the lake who curiously approached them to ask about their initiative. The general people praised their activities and encouraged them to continue with these types of projects. Lastly, the volunteers of VBD Dhaka also made a human chain with the posters in hand. They wanted to ensure that a large number of people would notice them and the message they were trying to convey would spread far and wide.
Their noble initiative even caught the attention of Rafiqul Islam Babla, Ward Councilor of Dhanmondi 15. He not only made an appearance at the venue but also took part in the activities along with the youth. His motivational words boosted the morales, and his enthusiasm for the activities inspired the volunteers.
With Mission Aqua Cleansing, VBD Dhaka District set an example that, if we want, we can always keep our lakes and surroundings clean. Only a change in our behaviors will help in fulfilling the dream of Clean Dhaka City and make it a reality. All it takes is a baby step that will gradually turn into a massive mega project. We hope the enthusiasm and the active participation of the youth will turn Bangladesh into a clean and pollution-free country soon.
