When one enters the Poribesh Mela (environment fair) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, one’s attention is immediately drawn to an eye-catching display of jute products.
The display is of Craft N Kraft, whose proprietor Wasiur Rahman can be seen keenly engaging with dozens of visitors at the week-long fair that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday.
“It is not just about making money; we have to think about our planet, too,” said Rahman, who began his business in 2013 after finishing his studies in Europe.
During his time in Europe he learnt that entrepreneurship and environment are inter-related.
The directorate of environment organised the fair, which had a total of 62 stalls of jute goods makers, engineering firms, housing companies, non-governmental stalls and two universities.
Similarly, Mohammad Raihan, founder and chief executive of ECOSPEAR, brought out a new product that is sophisticated and environment-friendly: shopping bags made from potato peels. The product was manufactured with a technology brought from Indonesia a year ago.
“My products are yet to attract the customers as many of them do not know about the benefits,” he said.
Rahman and Raihan are two youths who have vowed to contribute their part to saving the environment from pollution brought on by the massive use of plastics.
There are other participants that provide total environment solutions to industries, waste management firms, green building technologies and materials and environment consultants.
“Very few people think about the environment here. We want to showcase our technologies that a building can be environment-friendly,” said Mostaq Hossain, whose firm provides environment solutions.
The fair is open to all with no entry fee from 10:00am to 8:00pm.
Simultaneously at the same venue a tree fair is being held.
The government has set a plan to plant three million saplings in memory of the three million martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their country during the 1971 Liberation War.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/exposition-difference-1608316
