Established in 1998, the Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) is a global alliance of non-resident Bangladeshis, domestic environmental professionals, and international allies dedicated to arresting environmental degradation in Bangladesh and restoring its ecological integrity. Operating as a self-reliant organization, BEN channels global expertise and resources into local environmental struggles, working in close partnership with its domestic civic platform, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), which BEN helped establish in 2000.
BEN’s primary mission is to promote and adopt pro-environment policies that allow Bangladesh to industrialize and develop sustainably without sacrificing its natural resources. The organization’s key objectives include establishing critical connections and unity among pro-environment forces globally and domestically, promoting systematic documentation, scientific study, and research on Bangladesh’s environmental issues, raising public awareness, and mobilizing civic action to persuade policymakers to adopt ecological conservation strategies.
Over nearly three decades of active campaigning, the collaborative efforts of BEN, BAPA, and allied organizations have yielded landmark policy victories in Bangladesh. These include the replacement of leaded gasoline with unleaded alternatives, the removal of toxic two-stroke engine vehicles from major urban centers, the historic re-imposition of bans on plastic shopping bags, the adoption of the Wetlands Protection Act, and the establishment of regional alliances for transboundary river protection.
As BEN approaches its 28th anniversary, involving and training the next generation of environmental campaigners is of paramount importance. Building on the achievements of past initiatives, the BEN Reel Competition has been established to bridge academic research with modern digital advocacy. By challenging participants to translate complex environmental data into persuasive, short-form visual statements, BEN aims to inspire proactive climate and conservation advocacy, gather high-quality digital media assets to leverage in campaigns, and showcase impactful solutions during BEN’s official 28th Anniversary Celebration on July 18, 2026.
