After Class

EUECC: A student platform to raise awareness about environmental issues

Md Ashraful Alam

Now-a-days Students are more aware of their surroundings and environment of the world than anytime before, and more active and responsible. They are taking increasing interests in the environmental issues, running awareness campaigns, rallying for mass support and devising ways to contribute substantially to the cause.

Bangladesh is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It is exposed to frequent natural disasters, though common people here have little understanding of their responsibilities. Any counter-disaster strategy would, therefore, include involvement of the enlightened souls in society to raise people's awareness of the issues. And students, if empowered properly and given access to information, can play a vital role in this regard.

COURTESY: EUECC

Eastern University Earth Care Club (EUECC) helps to educate the students about environment. Although the club's activities were restricted within the walls of the campus after it was formed, gradually it spread its wing to take off-campus initiatives also.

Some of the club's outdoor programmes included setting up roadside waste containers, forming human-chain demanding improvement of the fast deteriorating condition of the capital city's environment, etc.

Members of the club have recently organised a tree plantation programme at the Begum Hasiba High School at Hariskul in Nababgonj. They campaigned for better awareness of environment among the pupils, planted and distributed trees.

“We are working for raising consciousness to protect our environment for our own good,” said Rajib Lochan Das, an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of EUECC.

“World Climate is changing rapidly and sometimes its temperature is getting colder and sometimes warmer. The world will not be a perfect place to live on for people and animal after about hundred years. So, it is high time to think about our sustainability on earth. EUECC helps people to think about it,” said Rajib Chandra Paul, Executive Director (Communication Cell), EUECC.

Incidentally, this club started its journey on November 15, 2011 and is patronised by the Eastern University and run by a coordinating panel led by three faculty members named Rajib Lochan Das (Coordinator), Md Abu Abdullah (Co-Coordinator) and Nahneen Sultana (Co-coordinator). It has an executive director body consisting of seven most active student-members while it has about two hundred members.