Minister warns of harsher action against polythene producers

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin on Monday said the government is taking strict action against producers of plastic and polythene, which are harmful to humans and the environment.

"Mobile courts are being conducted against production, transportation, marketing and storage of banned polythene bags," he told the opening ceremony of the World Environment Day and Environment Fair 2023 and National Tree Planting Campaign and National Tree Fair 2023 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

Shahab Uddin said from January 2019 to February 2023, a total of 2,198 drives were conducted and 3,617 cases were collected against illegal plastic and polythene producers.

Some 169 people were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment and 1,745 metric tonnes of polythene, grains and raw materials were seized, he said.

The environment minister said the process of taking such actions will continue in the future.

"Let us all collect saplings and plant trees in fallow land. Build a healthy and beautiful world. Like every year, this year a three-month tree planting campaign and tree fair is being organised at national, divisional, district and upazila levels," he said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud spoke at the event as the chief guest. Deputy Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on The Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, Director General of Department of Environment (DoE) Dr Abdul Hamid and Chief Conservator of Forest Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury were also present on the occasion.