As Bangladesh joins the rest of the world in observing World Plastic-Free Day today, millions of people across the country are expected to continue carrying their purchases in polythene bags, highlighting the limited impact of a ban introduced more than two decades ago.
Although Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban polythene shopping bags in 2002, the prohibition has largely failed due to weak enforcement and the lack of affordable alternatives. Twenty-four years later, polythene bags remain ubiquitous in wet markets, grocery stores, restaurants and fruit shops.
A visit to Karwan Bazar in Dhaka on the eve of the observance found vendors packing fish, vegetables, groceries and spices in polythene bags as usual. Single-use plastic cups were also widely used to serve hot tea at roadside stalls.
“We use polythene because that’s what’s available in the market,” said mango seller Mohammad Abul Kalam. “If the government provided a cheaper alternative, we would use that instead.”
Shopper Tushar Imran said consumers have little choice. “There are no practical alternatives. Whenever you buy something, it comes in a polythene bag,” he said. Even wholesalers selling packaging materials stocked no non-plastic alternatives. Asked why, most traders cited the same reason: there is neither demand nor supply.
“Nothing other than plastic bags sells here,” said Majid Molla, an employee at Ayan Enterprise. “If customers don’t ask for alternatives, who would we sell them to?”
Ban remains largely ineffective
The interim government, which assumed office in August 2024, pledged to enforce the long-standing ban more strictly. Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan vowed to reduce polythene use to zero, but apart from major supermarkets, little has changed on the ground.
Professor Syeda Ishrat Najia, chair of the Department of Geography and Environment at Jagannath University, said legislation alone cannot solve the problem. “It is not enough to enact laws. We must understand why they are not being effectively enforced,” she told TIMES of Bangladesh.
According to her, the widespread use of single-use plastics is driven not only by consumer habits but also by economic realities.
“Plastic is cheap, durable and easily available. Even people who are aware of the health risks continue using plastic bags, bottles and containers because affordable alternatives are either unavailable or beyond their purchasing power,” she said.
Twelve minutes of use, years of environmental damage
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s report “An Analysis of the Impact of Single-Use Plastic Bags: Options for New York State Plastic Bag Legislation”, a typical single-use plastic bag is used for an average of just 12 minutes. However, the environmental impacts associated with its production, transportation, disposal and persistence last for many years.
A 2023 report by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), “Plastic Pollution in Bangladesh – Drivers, Impacts and Solutions”, estimates that Dhaka generates around 646 tonnes of plastic waste every day, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the city’s total waste.
Of this waste, about 48 percent ends up in landfills, 37 percent is recycled and nearly 12 percent eventually enters rivers.
The report also shows that annual per capita plastic consumption in Bangladesh increased from around 3 kilograms in 2005 to 9 kilograms in 2020. In Dhaka, the figure is significantly higher at 22.25 kilograms per person.
Environmental experts warn that plastic pollution is clogging rivers and canals, worsening urban waterlogging and contaminating aquatic life with microplastics. Chemicals released from plastics have also been linked to hormonal disorders, increased cancer risks and other long-term health effects.
Professor Najia warned that carrying hot food and beverages in plastic containers accelerates the release of microplastics into food. “People are constantly ingesting microplastics through hot food, tea and other items carried in plastic, increasing the risk of various diseases in the future,” she said.
Syed Ahmad Kabir, deputy director (Monitoring and Enforcement) at the Department of Environment, said significant progress had been made in reducing polythene use in supermarkets, but enforcement in traditional markets remained a challenge.
“We are now trying to control the use of polythene in open markets. However, without greater public awareness, government action alone will not solve the problem,” he said.
