According to Section 6(a) of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2002, the production, import and marketing of polythene bags are punishable by a maximum of ten years of rigorous imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 1 million, or both. Furthermore, under Section 6(b), the sale, display for sale, storage and distribution of polythene bags is punishable by a maximum of six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 10,000, or both.
Biodegradable plastic bags entered the market well after the enactment of this law.
When asked how a ban on such bags could be enforced under existing legislation, Shahriar Hossain said, “We have informed the government that polythene bags were banned because they are single-use and harmful to both the environment and public health. For the same reasons, biodegradable plastic should also be subject to prohibition.”
When asked about the objections raised by environmentalists, Raihan-ul-Islam, Managing Director of Ecospear stated, “Biodegradable bags are used in two sectors – industrial and household. We are producing bags suitable for household use. Regular plastic takes more than 200 years to decompose. BCSIR conducted tests and found that our bag is decomposed within 147 days. It is entirely environmentally friendly. We are exporting this bag to Germany and North America.”
Raihan-ul-Islam further added, “Paper bags are made by cutting down trees. Is that environmental friendly? Environmentalists often cite over a hundred research papers against biodegradable plastic. However, there are also 150 research papers in favour of it.”
When contacted, Kazi Sumon, Senior Chemist (Chemical and Waste Management) at the Department of Environment told Prothom Alo that without comprehensive testing, it cannot be definitively stated whether biodegradable plastic bags are environmentally friendly.