THE violent attack on a Department of Environment director during a drive against illegal polythene production at Chawkbazar in Dhaka is worrying as it indicates a weak enforcement mechanism. The director was assaulted on January 26 and had a fractured nose after he had sealed off a factory illegally producing polythene bags. A similar violent attack took place on January 16 when the authorities conducted a mobile court drive on illegal sand mining at two points on the bank of the River Meghna in Narsigndi. People handling one of the five to six dredgers fired at the mobile court team, which forced the suspension of the drive as it had no adequate number of law enforcement personnel. Recurring attacks on officials involved in the drives create grounds to question the government鈥檚 commitment to enforcing environmental protection orders. Such policy decisions will face backlash and remain unsustainable without adequate law enforcement and economic rehabilitation programmes for workers relying on the factories for livelihood.
After years of negligence in implementing the Polythene Bag Control Act 2002, strict action against the use of polythene is a welcome move, especially in view of the environmental and health burden of plastic pollution. The environment ministry issued a directive in August 2024 that listed 17 single-use plastic products as hazardous and asked retailers and others concerned to phase out the products. The ban on the use of polythene was made effective for all retail stores and markets in November 2024. Since the imposition of the ban, the plastic industry owners and workers have raised concern about the unilateral decision that the government made without consulting with industry stakeholders. The government needs to develop a plan to recycle plastic already in use and provide a biodegradable alternative. Decades of marketing of polythene bags and single-use plastic products has changed consumer behaviour and for a change, there is the need for an awareness campaign. In October 2024, the Plastic Foundation, a platform for plastic manufacturers, urged the government to consider a minimum of six months to a year to support the transition to an alternative. There should be a long-term phase-out plan for about 6,000 plastic industries. The economy in this case is not necessarily limited to the concern expressed by the industry owners that the sudden ban would risk their investment. There is also the informal recycling economy that provides livelihood for many.
The government should, therefore, strengthen its enforcement mechanism so that drives against illegal production of polythene bags do not run into violence and ensure that adequate law enforcement support is given to drives that are crucial for environmental protection. It should also take strict legal action against those involved in the recent violence against government officials. It is equally important to hold consultations with industry stakeholders on a long-term plan to divest from single-use plastic products.
