Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus spoke at a function as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre marking the World Environment Day. Photo: PID
DHAKA, June 25, 2025 - Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today urged all to avoid usages of plastic items to protect environment and planet.

"If we do not change our lifestyle, our defeat to plastic is obvious," he told a function as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre here marking the World Environment Day.

Prof Yunus said the humans are destroying nature but they could not realise that the nature also has a destructive mode.

Highlighting the adverse impacts of plastic on the planet, he said the plastic is accelerating climate crises, natural disasters and biodiversity destruction.

The chief adviser said the country's waterbodies and biodiversity are being destroyed for lack of proper plastic management.

About the longevity of plastic in nature, he said everything has a lifespan but the plastic is such a thing that has no death.

Describing the harmful impacts of microplastic, Prof Yunus said: "If we do not leave plastic use, destruction will not leave us."

"We are on the suicidal path as the indiscriminate use of plastic and polythene is everywhere. We all know it is dangerous. But microplastic is more dangerous than it (plastic)," he said.

He mentioned that the presence of microplastic was found in breast milk and hilsa fish recently. "So we have no scope to sit idle. We must start work (to this end)," Prof Yunus said.

He suggested stopping the production of plastic and polythene.

Issuing an appeal to the countrymen to stop one-time plastic use, he said they should take decision to prevent plastic use gradually.

Terming the plastic a poison to the world and its all living things, the chief adviser said the use of this poison is increasing gradually with the rise of population.

He said the young generation should consider pollution more seriously as pollution is the biggest enemy to their survival.

Prof Yunus urged the young generation to come forward in addressing the climate crises.
He stressed changing the perception of development, saying that no such development work should be embarked that destroys country's environment and nature.

"The nature has given us all...refrain from destroying it," he added.

In addition to carrying out the tree plantation campaign, the chief adviser suggested launching a "Stop tree felling campaign" aiming to protect environment and nature in the country.

In his speech, he recalled the martyrs of the July Uprising and sought early recovery of those who were injured in the movement.

Prof Yunus inaugurated the Environment Fair-2025' and the 'National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair-2025' at the function.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed also spoke at the event.