DHAKA,  – The High Court (HC) today directed the authorities concerned to ban single-use plastic products in coastal areas and hotels, motels and restaurants across the country within the next one year.

The HC bench comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman came up with the order following a writ petition
jointly filed by 11 rights organisations, including Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

Advocate Syeda Rezwana Hasan and Syed Ahmed Kabir appeared for the writ petitioners, while deputy attorney general Saiful Khaled represented the
state during the hearing.

The court also ordered the authorities concerned to strictly enforce ban on polythene use across the country with proper monitoring.

Adv Syed Ahmed Kabir said polythene use is the total violation of Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act as polythene was banned in 2002.

But, he said, the use of plastic products like drinking straws, cotton buds, food packaging, food containers, bottles, plates, plastic cutlery and
plastic bags was on the rise in the country, much to pollute the environment.

The plastic wastes carried by the country’s 54 rivers and generated in coastal regions were dumped into the Bay of Bengal, posing threat to marine
resources and biodiversity, Kabir said, so 11 rights organisations submitted a writ petition before the High Court in this regard on December 17, 2019.

He said following the hearing of the writ, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why their inactiveness in imposing restriction on plastic product use would not be declared illegal.

The court also directed the authorities concerned to inform it within January 5, 2021 about what actions are taken to stop plastic use.

The court made the Industries Secretary, the Secretary of Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Secretary of Civil Aviation and Tourism
Ministry, the chairman of Bangladesh Plastic Products Producers and Exporters Association and three others as respondents, and asked them to submit a report in this regard.