At a time when the use of polythene bags has become a major threat to the environment, the government proposed to withdraw a 5 per cent supplementary duty on all kinds of polythene bags in the next budget in a blatant violation of the law.
Polythene bags have remained banned since 2002 in line with the Environment Conservation Act - 1995.
“I propose to withdraw existing 5 per cent supplementary duty on all types of polythene bags, plastic bags (including oven plastic bags) and wrapping materials made of polyethylene, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa kamal said in his 2022-23 budget speech in parliament.
Environmentalists were astonished to see how an act could be so blatantly neglected while the officials of the Department of Environment said there was no scope for import of any kind of polythene bag according to the Environment Conservation Act - 1995.
It is an irresponsible task. The government should clearly explain how banned items can remain on the importable product list while it is prohibited in the Environment Conservation Act, said Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO).
In 2024 a United Nations treaty will be inked prohibiting all kinds of plastic goods from sources to destination.
Withdrawal of 5 per cent supplementary duty on polythene bags in the budget speech will flood the country with plastic waste. In Bangladesh import and export of all type of plastic waste is prohibited, she said.
The government banned polythene shopping bags in 2002 and since then production and import of all kinds of polythene have remained prohibited.
However the later government granted permission to produce and use polythene only for packaging mushrooms and other food products issuing a gazette on 23 July 2008.
There is no scope for import of any kind of polythene bags according to the law, Syed Ahmmad Kabir, Deputy Director (Monitoring and Enforcement) of the Department of Environment, told The Business Post.
Polythene producers have obligation to take environmental clearance from the Department of Environment to produce polythene above 55 micron in diameter only for some selected packaging purpose.
Only plastic granules import is permitted as raw material of polythene. But no furnished polythene bag import is allowed, he confirmed.
According to Section 6 (A) of the Environment Conservation Act, 1995, the government can impose ban on production, import, marketing, display for sale, store, distribution, commercial transportation of polythene if found harmful for the environment by gazette notification.
Violators will be fined a minimum of Tk50, 000 to a maximum of Tk10, 00000 or minimum one year to maximum 10 years of imprisonment or both depending on the circumstances.
Environmentalists also said the declaration of exempting 5 per cent supplementary duties on all types of polythene bags is illegal which will worsen our environment and climate and deteriorate our soil quality.
Plastic is the main polluter of water and soil and it is hastening climate change by releasing carbon into the air.
The government should impose such a high rate of duties and taxes so that alternatives become cheaper than polythene. Otherwise polythene ban cannot be possible, M Zakir Hossain Khan, Executive Director of Change initiative, said.
Siddika Sultana said, “We expect responsible and reasonable attitude from the government.”
