Highlights
- Six metric tons of ocean plastic turned into a giant “Plastic Monster” sculpture at Cox’s Bazar Seagull Point
- Created jointly by Cox’s Bazar District Administration and Bidyanondo Foundation to raise public awareness
- Plastic collected from Cox’s Bazar, Inani, and Teknaf over four months
- Bidyanondo has already recycled 500 metric tons of discarded plastic nationwide
A Plastic Monster Rises to Warn a Nation
At Cox’s Bazar’s iconic Seagull Point, a towering “Plastic Monster” now stands face-to-face with the waves. From a distance, it feels like a mythological creature emerging from the ocean’s darkest depths. But as you walk closer, its reality becomes clearer and more unsettling.
This giant figure is made entirely from plastic waste left behind by people—bottles, broken containers, fishing debris, and countless fragments that once drifted across the shoreline. It is not a creature of imagination; it is a mirror of our negligence. A symbol of the monstrous scale of plastic pollution growing in the Bay of Bengal every day. This artwork has been built not for beauty but for awakening.
A Joint Call to Save the Sea
The Cox’s Bazar District Administration and volunteer organization Bidyanondo Foundation joined hands to turn the massive pile of plastic into an eye-opening sculpture. Over the last four months, teams collected marine waste from Cox’s Bazar, Inani, and Teknaf. Piece by piece, they assembled the plastic into a giant structure that now demands attention from every tourist walking along the beach. The sculpture will remain open to the public for the next three months, serving as a visual reminder of a crisis we can no longer ignore.
“Plastic Pollution Is Our Biggest Threat Today”
On Wednesday evening, December 3, the sculpture was inaugurated by District Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mannan, who emphasized the urgency of tackling plastic pollution:
“প্লাস্টিক দূষণ আজ আমাদের ভবিষ্যতের সবচেয়ে বড় হুমকি। সৈকতে লাখো মানুষ আসেন—এই ভাস্কর্য তাদের চোখে আঙুল দিয়ে দেখাবে প্লাস্টিক ফেলার পরিণতি। পরিবেশ রক্ষায় সরকারি উদ্যোগের পাশাপাশি নাগরিক ও স্বেচ্ছাসেবী সংগঠনের সমন্বিত প্রচেষ্টা প্রয়োজন।”
Translation: “Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to our future. Millions of people visit these beaches every year—this sculpture will serve as a vivid reminder of the consequences of careless plastic disposal. Protecting the environment requires coordinated efforts from the government, citizens, and volunteer organizations alike.”
Transforming Waste into Resource
Jamal Uddin, a member of the governing body of Vidyananda Foundation, highlighted the scale and impact of their recycling efforts:
“দেশের বিভিন্ন জায়গায় স্বেচ্ছাশ্রমে প্লাস্টিক সংগ্রহ ও পুনর্ব্যবহারের কাজ চলছে অনেক দিন ধরেই। আমরা সারাদেশে ৫০০ মেট্রিক টন পরিত্যক্ত প্লাস্টিক রিসাইকেল করেছি। এতে যেমন সরকারি ব্যয় কমছে, তেমনি মানুষও বুঝতে পারছে—বর্জ্যকে সম্পদে রূপান্তর করা যায়। আগামী ছয় মাস কক্সবাজারে প্লাস্টিক দূষণ রোধে জেলা প্রশাসনের সহযোগিতায় সচেতনতামূলক প্রচারণা চালাবে বিদ্যানন্দ।”
Translation: “For years, volunteers across the country have been collecting and recycling plastic. So far, we have recycled over 500 metric tons of discarded plastic nationwide. This reduces government expenditure and shows people that waste can be transformed into a valuable resource. Over the next six months, Vidyananda will work with the district administration to run awareness campaigns in Cox’s Bazar to combat plastic pollution.”
The Plastic Monster at Cox’s Bazar is both a symbol and a challenge. It is a wake-up call for every beachgoer and citizen that- our daily plastic habits have consequences, and immediate action is needed to safeguard marine life and coastal ecosystems. By turning plastic waste into a monumental sculpture, Cox’s Bazar sets a powerful example of creative environmental activism.
It reminds us that every piece of plastic we discard can become a threat to our oceans and future generations. With government initiatives, volunteer efforts, and public awareness combined, Bangladesh can turn this crisis into an opportunity proving that even waste can inspire change.
Source: Jugantor
