The High Court has ordered the formation of a three-member expert committee to investigate reports of harmful microplastics being found in 26 of 34 toothpaste brands tested in Bangladesh.
The committee has been directed to submit its findings to the court within 15 days.
The order was issued on Tuesday by a High Court bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Justice Md Ziaul Haque after hearing a writ petition.
The petition was argued by Supreme Court lawyer Md Abdullah Al Mamun, who also filed the writ on Monday.
The respondents include the secretaries of the ministries of health, environment and commerce, as well as the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
The writ was filed following media reports based on a study by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO), which found microplastics in 26 of 34 toothpaste samples tested.
According to the report, the number of microplastic particles ranged from 20 to 320 per 100 grams of toothpaste. Microplastics were also detected in four of six toothpaste brands marketed for children.
Researchers warned that the presence of microplastics in toothpaste poses potential risks to both human health and the environment.
The study, conducted between July 2025 and June 2026, examined 34 toothpaste samples from 19 major brands manufactured in Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam.
Of the 25 toothpaste samples produced in Bangladesh, 22 contained microplastics. The particles were also found in one of five samples from India, one of two from Thailand and both samples tested from Vietnam.
