Ban on polythene bags at all markets begins today

The ban on using polythene and polypropylene bags in all markets across the country officially began from Friday (November 1).

On September 24, interim government advisor on environment, forest, and climate change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, announced that from November 1, all types of plastic bags would be prohibited, and no customer should be given such bags.

The Department of Environment will monitor these markets for this month, but no fines or legal actions will be taken against vendors during this time.

Earlier, from October 1, plastic bags were banned in supermarkets, and now this ban extends to fresh markets. Alternatives such as jute, cloth, and paper bags will be used instead.

The government has taken strict measures to prevent the production, storage, transportation, marketing, and use of banned plastic and polypropylene shopping bags.

Meanwhile, traders have expressed concerns as they have not yet received suitable alternatives to polythene bags. They said if customers bring their own bags, the traders will use those. If suitable alternative bags are made available, they are ready to sell those as well.

Plastic bags were first banned in 2002, but for nearly two decades, the ban had little impact due to insufficient enforcement.