Dhaka, Nov 01 (V7N)- Polythene bags are being banned in the raw market from Friday. Besides, operations will also be started against factories producing polyethylene and polypropylene. Earlier, after the interim government assumed power on August 8, Environmental Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan announced the strict implementation of the polythene ban law. As part of this, the use of these bags has been banned in Supershops since October 1.

People from all walks of life have welcomed such an initiative of the government. Their suggestion is that action should be taken against those producing and marketing polythene, not the market at the outset. Besides, awareness should be raised on the use of eco-friendly bags with jute.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has formed a committee of 5 members to stop the use of banned polythene bags. The Additional Secretary of the Ministry (Environmental Pollution Control and Law Division) is the convener of the committee. Joint Secretary (Environment-1 Division), Deputy Secretary (Environment Pollution Control-1 & II) and Senior Assistant Secretary (Environment-3) are the members. The committee will oversee the nationwide polythene ban campaign from November 1. Maintain communication with the concerned officers at the field level and inspect the field activities if necessary. Apart from this, the Department of Environment will also form a separate committee. The Directorate Committee will send the information of the campaign conducted after 5 pm every day to the Ministry Committee. The monitoring committee will conduct raids today at 10 am in the capital's Mohammadpur agricultural market and various supermarkets and markets around it.

In 2002, the government enacted a law banning the production, marketing and marketing of plain polyethylene. During the BNP-led four-party coalition government (2001-2006), Environment Minister Shajahan Siraj made markets polythene free. After a long struggle, when he was just about to get rid of polythene, his government came to an end. After two years of the caretaker government, not much polyethylene was seen in the market. Even at the beginning of the Awami League government, polyethylene traders could not enter the market. Later, due to the lax policy of the previous government, the market became profitable in polyethylene.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Water Resources said that they will not back down to take strict measures to implement the decision to ban polythene through awareness and continuous monitoring. He said that we have to take measures in 2024 regarding polythene bags which are banned since 2002. Supershop was free of polythene for last one month, from today the bag cannot be used even in raw market. He said that along with the implementation of polythene ban program, we have taken initiatives to encourage jute products.

END/RB/SMA