Sunday, May 05, 2024
Though production and use of polybag were banned nearly 21 years back, polythene shopping bags still rule Khulna markets like a popular item, thanks to the authorities concerned for sleeping at the wheel.
Local sources said the polybags are produced in various areas of Khulna, putting an adverse impact on eco-friendly paper and jute bag industries. Traders prefer polybags due to them being cheaper than paper or jute bags.
In grocery shops and kitchen markets, the banned polybags are commonly used for trading.
However, Bangladesh banned single-use polybags in 2002 in a bid to lessen environmental pollution and introduced paper and gunny bags as alternatives.
Ahsan Habib, chairman of Habib Agro Jute Bag Company of Khulna, said, “Many factories of agricultural industrialists are about to be closed due to these banned polythene factories. Agri-investors are about to lose crores of taka due to this.”
Ahsan alleged that due to the non-enforcement of the law, polythene factories and the use of polythene increased at a massive rate.
Upon inquiry, this correspondent found that several polythene factories have been established in Khulna with the permission of the Department of Environment (DoE). Although the factories only have approval for making roll polythene and irrigation pipe from PP granules, they are openly producing single-use polybags.
These factories are mostly in the city's Lobonchora, Sonadanga, Zero Point, near Kaiya Bazar, Goalkhali, and Aranghata’s Teligati areas.
In addition, several wholesale shops in the city’s Borobazar market import single-use polybags from Dhaka and sell them to retail traders.
Khulna DoE Divisional Director Md Iqbal Hossain said the drive against polythene is ongoing.
“In April, four tonnes of polythene were seized and three businesses were fined through a mobile court in the city's Borobazaar. People are being informed about the adverse impact of polythene,” he said.
In response to a question, he said that he was unaware of polybags being produced in Khulna.
“If anyone produces and trades in these illegal polybags, action will be taken after getting specific evidence,” he added.
In various markets of the city and surrounding upazilas, various sizes and shaped single-use polybags are commonly used in every shop. Most buyers are unaware of the ban due to its regular usage.
Shopkeepers in different areas of the district said that polythene is relatively cheap compared to the alternatives, including net bags. They allege that buyers also prefer to use polybags for shopping.
Some shopkeepers said the wholesale shops from which they used to buy polybags, now no longer sell polythene bags directly.
As an alternative, workers take door-to-door polybag orders from trusted shop owners. The bags are later supplied as per demand.
According to experts and environmental organisations, polythene is a non-degradable plastic material, which causes environmental pollution, obstruction in sewage disposal, destroys the fertility of the soil and pollutes the water as it remains unaltered for a long time.
At the same time, harmful elements of polythene are entering the body of various plants and animals mixed with soil and water. Later they are transferred to the human body as food.
Khulna University’s Environmental Science Discipline Professor Abdullah Harun Chowdhury said, “Research has found the presence of microplastics in the soil and water of different areas of Khulna. Its presence is also found in plants and animals. This microplastic is harmful to the human body.”
He also said this is happening because of the widespread use of polythene, adding that it is necessary to reduce the use of polythene at once and use some environmentally friendly alternatives.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Khulna coordinator Adv Babul Howladar said, polythene below 20 microns does not decompose even in a hundred years.
“Illegal polythene manufacturing factories have been established in Khulna. It is being sold openly everywhere. Polythene is causing damage to agriculture, increasing human health risks. To draw the attention of the authorities against this, we have given a memorandum and made a movement,” he added.
However, the administration is not enthusiastic about closing down the factories, Babul said, adding that the government chooses to remain silent even though everything is happening right under their noses.
On March 1, 2002, the government announced the ban on polythene bags in Bangladesh. A provision of 10 years of penal servitude and a fine of Tk 10 lakh has been made for those who violate the law.
However, due to the lack of proper enforcement of the law, the sale of banned polythene is not stopped in the market.
