Staff Reporter :
In response to the rising environmental crisis posed by heavy metals (HMs) and plastic pollution, Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), have joined in a collaboration today by signing memorandum of understanding (MoU). This collaboration aims to tackle the pressing challenges caused by toxic pollutants and safeguarding both human health and the environment.
Heavy metals pose a significant threat due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulative nature. These are naturally occurring but increasingly disrupted by human activities. Over time, the accumulation of these pollutants can have detrimental effects on human and aquatic life, endangering public health and ecological balance. Similarly, the proliferation of plastics has emerged as a critical concern, with over 13,000 chemicals associated with plastic production, many of which are linked to severe health consequences. These toxins infiltrate the food chain, posing risks such as carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, and ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms, exacerbating the environmental crisis.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing these interconnected challenges, ESDO and BSMMU have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaboratively combat heavy metal and plastic pollution.
BSMMU pledges to support ESDO in future projects in organizing events and training sessions related to heavy metal and pollution. On the other hand, ESDO commits to organizing impactful events at national and district levels, engaging BSMMU health professionals and students. They will facilitate research by providing information and collaboration with BSMMU’s health professionals and associations, and develop healthcare guidelines and communication materials with their input and endorsement.
The signing ceremony of the MoU was attended by Dr. Shahriar Hossain, Secretary General of ESDO; Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO, and Professor Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of BSMMU and Professor Dr. Md Atiqul Haque, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Preventive and Social Medicine of BSMMU. Monowarul Islam, Head of Program of ESDO, Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Research and Advocacy Associate of ESDO and Rashedul Islam, Accounts and Admin Associate of ESDO and other members from BSMMU also participated in the event.
