Around 977,000 tonnes of plastic are used annually in the country, with 69% of the waste being mismanaged, prompting experts to call for increased recycling and greater public awareness to curb littering and environmental pollution.
“Only 300,000 tonnes of plastic are recycled per annum,” said Maqsud Sinha, national policy expert at the environment department, during a keynote presentation at a conference yesterday.
At the event titled “From Policy to Action: Integrated Approaches for Combating Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter in Bangladesh,” he stressed the need for awareness and proper disposal to make recycling easier as plastic use continues to rise.
He noted that according to a World Bank report from 2021, which relied on a field survey conducted by the Waste Concern consultant, 31% of plastics are recycled, while the remaining 69% are improperly managed.
At the programme, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised the urgent need for effective action against plastic pollution.
She clarified that the government has not banned single-use plastics but is working to reduce their use and encourage safer alternatives from local entrepreneurs.
“We can gradually move away from single-use plastics, for which we lack a proper waste management system,” she said.
Rizwana condemned false claims that the government has banned all single-use plastics, calling them “blatant lies” that create unnecessary tension among manufacturers.
She also highlighted the severity of plastic pollution, noting that plastic waste breaks down into microplastics, which then enter the food system.
“This is a choice we must all make – individually, as a government, and as businesses,” she added.
She urged businesses to collaborate on a time-bound plan to eliminate single-use plastics before 2030 and condemned recent attacks on Department of Environment officials targeting illegal polythene bag production units.
The conference, chaired by Md Quamruzzaman, director general of the environment department, featured speakers including Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen, Norwegian ambassador to Bangladesh; and Jerome Stucki, unit chief at UNIDO Vienna.
It provided a platform for policymakers, environmental experts, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for reducing plastic pollution and marine litter in Bangladesh.