January 28, 2017 – The midterm meeting for GramClean Pilot Program, being held in collaboration with JEPLAN Inc. took place through January 23-24, 2017 in the head office of JEPLAN located in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan. Two members from Global Communication Center (GCC) of Grameen Communications, Dr. Rafiqul Islam Maruf (Director, Operations) and Ms. Jessica Maria Gomes (Business Development Officer) have participated in the meeting. Mr. Masaki Takao (COO, JEPLAN Inc.) and Mr. Takahiro Chiba joined the meetings from Japan Environment Planning (JEPLAN) Inc. A midterm report on the activities held under GramClean Pilot Program and the updates from the three pilot sites were presented during the meeting. The team also discussed about the business model and future expansion prospects for GramClean.

The team from Bangladesh had a visit to the Kitakyushu Hibikinada Plant on January 25, one of the three recycling plants of JEPLAN. Mr. Jayant Patil from JEPLAN led the visit and demonstrated the steps of recycling process.

GramClean is an initiative taken by GCC to develop waste free model villages. JEPLAN Inc. has been working to recycle electronic waste and polyester in Japan. GCC and JEPLAN are jointly running a pilot program on waste management in three unions of Bangladesh: Ekhlaspur Union, Chandpur, Chhaygaon Union, Shariatpur and Mainamoti Union, Comilla. GCC and JEPLAN look forward to work together to develop sustainable waste management model for Bangladesh leading to waste free villages.