Unilever Bangladesh Limited has organised a two-day training workshop for students of the University of Chittagong to strengthen their understanding and skills in environmental journalism.

The workshop was arranged as part of a plastic waste management initiative jointly implemented in Chattogram by Chattogram City Corporation, Unilever Bangladesh Limited and Young Power in Social Action.

During the workshop, participating students were introduced to the current state of plastic waste management in Chattogram and the key components of the ongoing initiative.

The sessions also covered the fundamentals of environmental journalism, techniques for reporting on climate change and different aspects of investigative journalism.

As part of the programme, students joined a field visit where they gained first-hand exposure to school-based awareness activities, household waste segregation practices, the work of informal waste collectors, and the safety equipment provided to them under the initiative.

The sessions were conducted by experienced journalists and communication experts. Certificates were handed over to the participating students at the end of the workshop.

Dr Mohammad Al-Amin, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Chittagong, attended the closing ceremony as chief guest.

Professor Dr Mohammad Saiful Islam, Registrar (Acting) of the University of Chittagong, and SM Tareque Saifullah, Factory Director of Unilever Bangladesh Limited, attended as special guests.

Officials from Young Power in Social Action and other relevant organisations also attended the event.

The organisers said such initiatives would help raise awareness among young people about the environment and sustainable development while encouraging responsible journalism.

They said the workshop would also help increase young people’s interest in producing evidence-based reports on environmental challenges and contribute to building a more responsible future generation.

Since 2022, Unilever Bangladesh Limited, in partnership with Chattogram City Corporation and Young Power in Social Action, has been implementing an integrated plastic waste management initiative across all 41 wards of Chattogram city.

Under the initiative, more than 33,000 tonnes of plastic waste have been collected and processed so far.

In addition, over 3,000 waste workers and collectors have received training and safety equipment, while 1,827 of them have been brought under group insurance coverage.

The initiative is working as an inclusive and sustainable urban management model, supporting efforts to build a cleaner and more environmentally friendly city through active citizen participation.