By M. Rahman, PhD, Advisor, Dhaka Straits Times

Bangladesh is a country blessed with breathtaking natural beauty from the world’s longest sea beach in Cox’s Bazar to the green hills of Sylhet, the mangrove forest in the Sundarbans and the serene rivers that weave through our plains. Yet, beneath this beauty lies an unpleasant reality — our habits are turning these blessings into breeding grounds for filth and disease.

One of the most disturbing social habits that continues unabated is spitting in public. Whether on roads, pavements, markets, university campuses, or even in front of hospitals, people casually spit without a thought. It has become a routine act, accepted almost as a cultural norm. Yet, very few pause to consider its consequences. Spitting releases saliva containing bacteria and viruses into the air and onto the ground. When others walk through it, or when dust carries these pathogens, the risk of spreading contagious diseases — from tuberculosis to respiratory infections — becomes very real.

Equally troubling is another unhygienic practice, public urination. Despite years of urban development and the establishment of public toilets in many areas, the majority of people still prefer to urinate wherever they find a corner — along roadside walls, under trees, behind parked vehicles, or even in parks at night. Last month, while visiting Cox’s Bazar, I was struck not only by the beauty of the waves but also by the foul smell of urine along stretches of the beach, particularly near Kolatoli and other crowded spots. It was a shocking contradiction: the world’s longest sea beach, degraded by human carelessness.

Public urination is not just unpleasant — it is unsanitary and environmentally damaging. Human urine contains nitrogen and other compounds that, in concentrated amounts, can harm soil and marine ecosystems. Worse, such behavior erodes the sense of civic responsibility that every citizen should uphold in public spaces.

Adding to this environmental insult is the careless littering that has become rampant across the country. Plastic bottles, food wrappers, and polythene bags are strewn across the sands of Cox’s Bazar, floating in the Bay of Bengal, and piling up on roadsides. Despite regular clean-up drives, visitors continue to discard waste wherever they stand — as though someone else will clean it up later.

This pattern of behavior reflects more than just a lack of awareness; it reveals a failure of social conscience. No nation can claim to be truly developed if its citizens treat their surroundings with such disregard. We often speak with pride about our economic progress and infrastructure development, yet the mark of civilization is not skyscrapers or highways — it is discipline, hygiene, and respect for shared spaces.

The solutions are not beyond reach. What we need is a strong social movement backed by consistent enforcement of existing laws. The government and local authorities must expand the number and accessibility of public toilets in cities and tourist areas. Strict fines should be imposed for spitting, littering, and urinating in public places. Most importantly, educational institutions should incorporate lessons on civic responsibility and environmental hygiene into their curricula.

Religious and community leaders, too, can play a powerful role by reminding people that cleanliness is not just a social duty but a moral and spiritual one. Islam, like all major faiths, emphasizes purity and public cleanliness — yet our streets tell a different story.

Bangladesh has come far in economic resilience and social progress, but we are still falling behind in the small, everyday habits that define a civilized society. We must realize that cleanliness begins with us, with every act of restraint, with every conscious choice not to spit, litter, or pollute.

When we walk along our beaches or through our cities, we should not be met with the stench of neglect, but with the pride of stewardship. It is time to break these unhygienic habits, not only for our health, but for the dignity of our nation and the generations that will inherit it.