DHAKA, Feb 8, 2024 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury today directed the officials concerned to successfully implement the 'Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST)' project to help check air pollution in the country.

"To check air pollution, we should not just wait for the project. Air pollution should be checked with government funding if necessary, considering the public health," he told a consultant workshop on the BEST project at Department of Environment (DoE) headquarters, Agargaon, in the capital.

Speaking as the chief guest, Saber Hossain said more attention should be paid to ensure that the project allocation taken from public money is not wasted.

He said the project must be completed within the stipulated timeframe and budget, and the target of the project should be achieved maintaining its quality aiming to prevent air pollution.

The minister said to make this project a success, four implementing agencies - the DoE, Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority - should work in coordination.

Chaired by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, the workshop was addressed, among others, by Economic Relations Division Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder, DoE Director General Dr Abdul Hamid and Operations Manager at World Bank Gayle Martin.

Manzoor Alam, project director of the BEST project, presented component-1 of the project titled 'Main Environmental Governance and Management'.
 
He said an environmental centre of excellence will be established to increase the administrative capacity of the DoE.

Under the project, the monitoring of vehicles and vessels will be launched, while central laboratories, departmental labs and district labs will be equipped with modern facilities, he said.