ENH student publishes comic book with UNDP Bangladesh

Masuda Khan, an undergraduate student of the English and Humanities (ENH) department published a comic book with UNDP Bangladesh. She wrote the story, and illustrated the comic ‘Gondhoraj: the king of smell’, which centers on the problem of sustainable Solid Waste Management (SWM). Though inspired by her surroundings in Dhaka, the story of ‘Gondhoraj’ is something many communities around the world relate to. The comic is published under the Sustainable Solutions to Waste Management Project by the UNDP, Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Crisis Response Office. Over 10,000 copies of the comic have been printed, and are being distributed free of cost to children in Cox’s Bazar and its surrounding areas. Printed in Bengali and English, it will soon be published in the Rohingya language as well.

Even though the comic is aimed at building awareness among children, it helps anyone reading it learn basic ideas about the SWM system in a fun and concise manner. It brings a fresh introduction to effective and sustainable SWM systems through the engagement of communities. It has several aims: environmental protection, awareness on the prevention of diseases, promotion of hygiene and proper sanitary standards, income generation through cash for work, waste reduction, and recycling. Along UNDP Bangladesh, the project had partners such Brac, Practical Action, Garbage Man, and was given financial assistance by the Government of Sweden.

The comic can be accessed in the following link: https://www.undp.org/bangladesh/publications/gondhoraj-king-smell