Drive against polythene bag manufacturers will start from 1 Nov: Environment secretary

The drive against manufacturers of polythene bags will start from 1 November, Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed has said.

To enforce this, a team will be formed comprising officials from the Department of Environment, the Directorate of National Consumers' Rights Protection, the Directorate of Food, and district magistrates.

The government, with the cooperation of the public, aims to halt the production, marketing, and use of polythene bags. To ensure end of polythene bag usage, both consumers and retailers will need to switch to eco-friendly alternatives.

Dr Farhina Ahmed made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion with members of the Shantinagar Market Committee and traders in Dhaka on Saturday.

The meeting was held to address the issue of banning the use of polythene shopping bags, which have been officially prohibited.

She pointed out that despite the ban being in place for 22 years, the use of polythene has persisted, which is harmful to public health. Polythene is linked to increasing risks of cancer, among other health issues.

The secretary also emphasized that for the protection of public health and the environment, the ban on polythene must be strictly enforced. She urged both sellers and consumers to refrain from using these harmful bags, noting that their continued use poses a serious threat to the environment.

The meeting was presided over by Mujibul Haque, president of the Shantinagar Market Committee, and was attended by several high-ranking officials. Among them were Dr Fahmida Khanam, additional secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Siddhartha Shankar Kundu, deputy secretary, Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy director of the Department of Environment, and Lokman Hossain Fakir, general secretary of the Market Committee.

After the meeting, Dr Farhina Ahmed and other officials toured various shops in the Shantinagar market, encouraging traders to increase the use of alternative, environmentally friendly bags.