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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 8

Publication Date: August 25, 2023

DOI:10.14738/assrj.108.15214.

Shumshunnahar, M. & Amin, M. R. (2023). Role of Mass Media in Promoting Environmental Health and Awareness in Bangladesh:

A Case Study. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(8). 32-40.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Role of Mass Media in Promoting Environmental Health and

Awareness in Bangladesh: A Case Study

Mst. Shumshunnahar

Department of Public Administration

Comilla University, Cumilla, Bangladesh

Md Ruhul Amin

Department of Public Administration

Comilla University, Cumilla, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

The general public, local producers, scientists, policymakers, administrators, and

government politicians all play important roles in the development and

dissemination of awareness. In the context of the environment and development

paradox, environmental awakening in developing nations such as Bangladesh is a

current topic. Environmental awareness assists in acquainting social groups and

individuals with the environment and associated issues. As the general population

of Bangladesh explores information about nature, environment, and biodiversity

through television, newspapers, and radio, mass media can play a crucial role in

enhancing the public's knowledge of environmental challenges, issues, eco-friendly

technologies, laws, and policies, as well as development-related environmental

issues.

Keywords: Media, Environment, Health, Awareness, Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION

Pollution in the environment threatens the future of the human race on Earth. Environmental

problems can't be limited by a country's borders, but their effects are felt all over the world.

This widespread damage to the environment has made people all over the world worry about

how to save and protect the earth's environment. Since it got its freedom in 1971, Bangladesh

has been trying to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population with limited room and

natural resources by speeding up economic growth. Bangladesh made a national pledge to the

environmental movement at the Stockholm Conventions in 1972 (Bandhu, Desh and Dyal, R.:

1999). This led to the creation of the first Water Pollution Control Ordinance in 1973, which

was followed by the Environment Pollution Control Ordinance in 1977. The Department of

Environment (DOE) was started in 1985. It was first called the Department of Pollution Control

Ordinance. When the Environmental Policy of 1992 was made, it was the first time that the idea

of saving the environment through national efforts was recognized and backed up. Since these

steps began, not many of the Environment Policy directives and standards have been put into

place. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (ECA) of 1995 is the only law that

supports the Environment Conservation Rules of 1997 (Chaturvedi, Keshav: 2015).

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Shumshunnahar, M. & Amin, M. R. (2023). Role of Mass Media in Promoting Environmental Health and Awareness in Bangladesh: A Case Study.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(8). 32-40.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.108.15214

Bangladesh has had to deal with a number of natural disasters that have hurt its economy and

environment. These include deforestation, the destruction of wetlands and inland fisheries,

surface and groundwater pollution, soil nutrient depletion, coastal salinity intrusion, floods,

cyclones, tidal surges, and tornadoes (MoEF, 1992). We know that the media plays a big part in

growth and building strong institutions. As a society's watchdog, the mass media plays a key

part in figuring out the causes and effects of environmental problems, keeping an eye on how

they are fixed, and raising public knowledge. It is a key tool for building a progressive, fair, and

well-developed society (Environmental Protection Authority: 1997). In the current situation,

the mass media need to be involved to make sure that government environmental laws, policies,

strategies, and governmental capacities work better and lead to more sustainable

environmental growth. The goal of this study is to find out how the media affects people's

awareness of the environment by including environmental problems in all aspects of

Bangladesh's socioeconomic growth (Shishir, 2017).

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To analyze the environmental health and education issues in Bangladesh and make

recommendations based on the impact of media there.

1. To learn about problems with the environment in Bangladesh.

2. To learn what effects social media has on the world.

3. To suggest some successful way to solve the problem.

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

This is a theoretical investigation. The majority of the information has come from secondary

resources. Secondary information was gathered by extensive reading of a wide variety of print

and digital sources, including academic journals, newspapers, magazines, novels, and websites.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF BANGLADESH

To understand the important and minor parts of how Bangladesh manages its environment

now, it's important to look at some of the country's biggest environmental problems and

challenges.

Water Pollution

There are a number of causes contributing to the deteriorating water quality in Bangladesh.

Inadequate flood control, drainage, and irrigation systems; improper use of synthetic fertiliser

and pesticides in agriculture; indiscriminate disposal of municipal, industrial, and agricultural

wastes entering the inland water systems; lack of adequate regulatory measures and

institutional setup for proper monitoring and control; etc (McQuail, D: 1994). It has been noted

recently that the leather industry is disregarding legal guidelines of the country by attempting

to escape the government's decision to relocate the factories from Hazaribag in Dhaka to

Hemayetpur in Savar (Financial Express, March 21, 2017). The rivers Buriganga and Sitalakka

are contaminated with chemicals from the discharge of around 250 factories (Shishir, 2017).

Deforestation

Millions of acres of forest are cut down for commercial uses like farming on a big scale, oil

mining, and making paper goods. Deforestation puts the lives of many species in danger, which

leads to the loss of wildlife and biodiversity. The International Union for Conservation of Nature