Call for banning single-use plastic in Sundarbans, St Martin's Island

Environment activists and senior officials of government offices concerned have united in their call for a ban on the transportation of single-use plastic products to Saint Martin's Island and the Sundarbans.

During a seminar titled "Plastic Pollution in Forests and Other Natural Ecosystems: Way Forward," jointly organised by the Arannayk Foundation and the Institution of Foresters Bangladesh (IFB) at the Parjatan Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday, they highlighted the harmful effects of plastic on the environment and natural ecosystems.

They emphasised that plastic industries receive financial support through bank loans, while biodegradable production initiatives are deprived of such financing.

The participants engaged in an open discussion and observed that many eco-friendly commercial ventures fail due to the lack of access to bank loans.

Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, who virtually attended the seminar as the chief guest, informed the audience that her ministry has formulated policies to protect Saint Martin's Island.

Stressing the three conditions of sustainable development – intra-generational equity, intergenerational equity, and trans-boundary equity, she highlighted the government's commitment to achieving green growth.

Speaking as a special guest, Additional Environment Secretary Md Iqbal Abdullah Harun emphasised the need to establish a circular economy to reduce plastic pollution.

He assured the audience that eco-friendly business ventures will receive incentives in the future.

Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, the chief conservator of forest, also participated in the seminar as a special guest and called for a coordinated effort between the government and private sectors to tackle plastic pollution in the Sundarbans, where tons of plastic waste are accumulating, hindering plant growth and germination.

In his opening remarks, Rakibul Hasan Mukul, executive director of Arannayk Foundation, expressed concerns about the dumping of plastics by municipalities and other government regulators, which poses significant dangers to forests, rivers, and bays.

Istiaq Uddin Ahmad, president of the IFB and the former chief conservator of forest, who chaired the seminar, cautioned that Bangladesh lags behind in plastic waste management and stressed the importance of accountability in environmental conservation efforts.

During the seminar, two papers were presented by Dr Shahriar Hossain, secretary general of Environment and Social Development Organisation, and Mostafa Yousuf, staff correspondent of The Daily Star.

The papers highlighted the alarming increase in plastic consumption and its adverse impact on ecosystems.

Between 2005 and 2020, the consumption of plastic in Bangladesh has risen fivefold, with 977,000 tonnes used in 2020 alone, of which only 31% was recycled, according to the papers.

The papers recommended thorough preparation before signing an international treaty in 2025 to combat plastic pollution.