If you go to the market in Bangladesh, you can see polythene. There was a time when people used to carry a bag of chaat in their hand when going to the market. But the use of polythene started in the market for the first time in the eighties. Since then, no matter what kind of shop you go to the market, polythene bags have been given for a penny. You can easily get a polythene bag for a penny in all the shops. Compared to the western world, the use of polythene has started much later in Bangladesh. . But it caused such a big disaster that its production, transport, storage and use were banned by law from January 2002, 15 to 20 years after its use. Although strict in the beginning, the enforcement of the law gradually relaxed. And now there is no way to understand that it is banned in Bangladesh. But why should plastic be discarded? Plastic is a material that has a lifespan of thousands of years. Which does not degrade or mix with the soil. It inhibits the movement of water and natural nutrients in the soil. As a result, the quality of the soil decreases. The plant does not get its food. Plastic particles spread in soil and water. Which may be going from the water to the body of the fish. Toxic chemicals from plastic in the soil are leaching into plants. And it finally reaches not only animals but also human body. Plastic is responsible for many other deadly diseases in the human body as well as cancer. Dhaka will be buried under the pile of garbage? The reason why Bangladesh lags behind in plastic recycling is the same reason why polythene or plastic waste is dumped anywhere it gets stuck in the sewers and obstructs the flow of water. The victims of which are millions of people of Dhaka city. If it rains a little, the water freezes. According to a report by the international environmental organization Earth Day Network, Bangladesh ranks 10th among plastic polluting countries in the world. Why can’t Bangladesh stop its use and production? In our country people don’t do anything unless it is commercially and financially profitable. Nothing is done just for awareness or welfare of society. Polythene bags are economically viable for common people as they are cheap and easily available. I will abandon its use only when a financially viable alternative comes along.” This might be a reason. But surprisingly, Bangladesh was the first country in the world to ban the use of polythene. But going to the market, it was found that the issue has seriously lost its importance. To both buyer and seller. Since shops in western countries started charging for such bags, many people have started carrying bags. In Bangladesh that practice has gone because of polythene. Why is the law not being enforced after it is prohibited by law? Most people say that using polythene bags is easier for them. But not thinking about the environment. To increase the use of jute products as an alternative to polythene or plastic bags in Bangladesh, the use of jute bags for storage and transportation of 17 products has been made mandatory. Since the ban was imposed in 2002, 931 tonnes of polythene has been seized. 52 factories were evacuated. It is not possible for us alone to carry out a campaign to stop it across the country. Moreover, convincing people is the biggest challenge for us. But the importance of curbing the use of polythene across the country can be understood by going to the market or taking a short walk on the street.B From the door of the house to rivers, drains and drains, polythene and plastic materials have suffocated the world.

The writer : A S M Fazlul Karim
Lecturer,Islamganj Degree College, Sunamganj.