When many countries across the world are gradually squeezing the use of single-use plastics, Bangladesh lags far behind in this matter, posing a threat to the environment and health.
Instead the use of plastics has been on an upward trend in the country amid the pandemic, for which the lack of monitoring by the authorities concerned is largely to be blamed.
The grim story does not just stop there: the growing use of plastics apparently hampers the potential market of alternative jute products.
Many involved with the jute sector and working on environmental issues said the domestic market of jute goods could have expanded had the government stopped the production and marketing of illegal plastic products, including single-use ones.
In 2002, the south Asian nation was among the first countries to ban the use of plastic and polythene bags in an effort to stop them collecting in waterways and on land. The ban has had little success, though.
In January last year, the High Court ordered the government to ban single-use plastics in coastal areas and in hotels and restaurants within a year to combat pollution. Progress in light of the order is yet to be visible.
Stakeholders have also found a lack of political commitment and feeble leadership to be responsible for the situation.
Shaping visionary policy, awareness building campaigns and strict enforcement of the law can help to cut down plastic use but these are absent right now, they added.
In their reaction, policymakers and top government officials concerned say it is not an easy task to enforce the law in this regard in a country like Bangladesh.
No target set by Bangladesh as yet
Reusable alternatives to wasteful single-use plastics are on the rise across Europe, to save the environment and public health. Australia emphasizes enforcing strict laws to cut down plastic use through banning single-use plastic items.
The Break Free from Plastic Europe and the Rethink Plastic alliance suggested in 2019 setting consumption reduction targets for single-use plastic cups and food containers of 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2030, which targets are being executed.
Countries like Germany and Belgium are also taxing single-use plastics to quickly force businesses to find alternatives.
But Bangladesh has never set a target or comprehensive plan to minimize or cut down single use plastic.
In fact, the owners of plastics product manufacturing factories had sought time till 2030 from the Department of Environment (DoE) to gradually stop production. But the DoE never followed up with the factories in this regard.
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When asked about last year’s ban, DoE acting director general Md Moniruzzaman said: “We haven’t had much progress in this regard in the last one year due to the pandemic.”
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, executive director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela), said the government should have complied with the High Court order.
“The government should also have set a target to reduce the use of plastics, which did not happen due to lack of political commitment and weak leadership,” she said.
However, Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin claimed that an inter-ministerial meeting had
already decided to impose a ban on single-use plastic products.
“We will hold some more meetings with the stakeholders before officially announcing the ban,” he added.
The minister admitted that the government had failed to set a target “because its execution would be very difficult in Bangladesh.”
Failing to execute law affects potential jute market
Jute industry players have said the random production, marketing and use of plastic goods, including single-use ones, are adversely impacting the potential jute market.
The government has implemented the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act 2010, which was enforced in January 2014, to promote the country’s jute sector.
According to the law, at least 19 products, including rice, wheat, maize and sugar, must be packaged in jute bags. Violation of the provision leads to a maximum of one year in jail or a fine of Tk50,000 or both.
Bangladesh Jute Association President Syed Ali said the law was followed strictly in the first year or so, mainly owing to tight monitoring and mobile court raids. “But the law is hardly complied with now due to a lack of enforcement,” he said.
A Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) leader alleged that the government had been negligent in banning plastic, causing the domestic jute market to struggle for survival.
“If the government executes the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act and bans plastic items, the domestic market will go to $5 million as per our projection,” said BJMA Vice-president SK Akram Hussain.
The domestic jute market size is $1 million, with export earnings amounting to $2 million, the BJMA says.
Claiming that the government conducts raids against polythene bags regularly, State Minister for Environment Habibun Nahar said: “Millions of polythene bags are produced from a single room. How many rooms can we seal in Dhaka?”
She also holds a lack of mass awareness largely responsible for the growing use of plastic goods.
“As the poly bags are also free of cost at shops, most people do not bother buying a jute bag for Tk20-30,” she said.
Bela Executive Director Syeda Rizwana Hasan argued that there were not more than 500 polythene bag manufacturers in Dhaka and the authorities concerned could not impose the law due to a lack of commitment on their part.
