On 1st February, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in partnership with UNICEF Bangladesh,ESDO and Pure Earth successfully convened the ๐
๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐๐-๐
๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข-๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง (๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐๐) at the Department of Environment (DoE) Auditorium, Poribesh Bhaban, Agargaon, Dhaka.
The workshop was graced by the ๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐๐ซ. ๐
๐๐ซ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐๐
๐๐. The session was attended by distinguished Special Guests, including ๐๐. ๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ช๐ฎ๐, ๐๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ, ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ (๐๐จ๐). Special Guest remarks were also delivered on behalf of UNICEFโs health leadership from ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐ฅ. The session was chaired by ๐๐ซ. ๐
๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ (๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ), ๐๐จ๐๐
๐๐, and the technical presentation was delivered by ๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ง, ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ.
A diverse group of participants joined the consultation, including representatives from MoEFCC and DoE, relevant line ministries and government agencies, development partners, civil society and non-government organizations, academic and research institutions, and private sector associations. Their presence ensured strong multi-sector engagement and a shared commitment to preventing lead exposure and safeguarding public healthโespecially the health and development of children.
The objectives of the consultation were to review the near-final draft of the national strategy and the multi-year action plan, ensure coherence and practical feasibility across priority areas, confirm governance and coordination arrangements among key institutions, and gather final technical inputs to strengthen implementation readiness and support the endorsement pathway.
As outcomes, the workshop generated consolidated recommendations through plenary discussions and group work to refine the strategy and action plan for 2025โ2035, reinforced the importance of coordinated multi-sector action for monitoring, enforcement, and prevention, and strengthened shared ownership among participating institutions for moving forward with finalization, endorsement, and effective rollout.
Together, we move closer to a safer, healthier future for children and communitiesโtowards a Lead-Free Bangladesh.