DHAKA, Nov 1, 2024 (BSS) - The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in association with the Department of Environment (DoE) today conducted a drive in the city to prevent the use of banned polythene shopping bags.

A team inspected Mohammadpur Agricultural Market and several nearby supermarkets in the capital, a ministry press release said.

During the drive, members of the monitoring committee urged shop owners to use jute and cloth bags instead of polythene. 

Vendors were instructed to cease using polythene bags, with a warning that strict actions would be taken if polythene bags are found during future inspections.

Tapan Kumar Biswas, Additional Secretary (Environmental Pollution Control) and head of the monitoring team, informed the media that strict legal actions will be taken against polythene bag manufacturers from November 3 next.

Instructions have been issued to all Deputy Commissioners and DoE field officers to ensure enforcement of the ban on polythene bags.

Although mobile courts are not being operated on November 1 and 2 due to weekend, monitoring will continue, he said, seeking public cooperation in checking polythene bag use.

Joint Secretary Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Deputy Secretary Rubina Ferdousi, and DoE Directors Rajinara Begum and Mohammad Masud Hasan Patwari and officials concerned were also present.