Staff Reporter: A climate awareness marathon titled “Run4Earth” was held in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Saturday, marking World Environment Day 2026, with participants calling for stronger action on environmental protection, pollution control, and sustainable urban development.

Organised by youth platform Brighters, the 7.5-kilometre marathon brought together around 300 young people, climate activists, and citizens to advocate for climate action and environmental sustainability.

The initiative aimed to move beyond conventional awareness campaigns by engaging communities through participatory action and encouraging young people to take an active role in addressing climate challenges.

Speaking at the event, former administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation Mohammad Ejaz praised the initiative, saying youth-led engagement is essential for protecting urban spaces and tackling environmental degradation.

“Such innovative initiatives are very important to save the environment and protect our cities. Young people need to come forward in this way, and through activities in public spaces, we can reclaim and positively use those spaces,” he said.

Nazmul Ahsan, Youth and Climate Resilience Lead at ActionAid Bangladesh, said creative initiatives like Run4Earth can help raise awareness among young people and encourage greater involvement in protecting the environment.

The event was organised in partnership with C3ER (Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research), Volunteer For Environment – Youth For Climate Justice, and Swapnopur Kalyan Sangstha as strategic partners.

Highlighting the purpose of the event, the founder of Brighters said climate-induced challenges such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, cyclones, and energy insecurity cannot be addressed individually.

“We alone cannot save the planet from these growing crises. This initiative is meant to send a message that collective action is needed to protect our future,” the founder said.

According to organisers, the event also sought to amplify calls for better waste management, pollution control, and the preservation of green spaces in Dhaka as part of broader efforts to restore the city’s ecosystem.