Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, has urged the public to use alternatives to polythene shopping bags, stressing the importance of stopping polythene usage to protect the environment.

She made the request to shoppers, sellers, and the general public to comply with the government’s decision to introduce alternatives to polythene bags in superstores, effective from October 1.

Rizwana made these remarks while inaugurating the program for the use of alternative shopping bags at Agora and Meena Bazar superstores in the capital on Tuesday.

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Rizwana emphasized that the campaign is solely focused on eliminating polythene shopping bags.

She further said that from today, no one will be allowed to bring or receive polythene shopping bags from markets.

The next step will be to ban single-use plastics. To achieve this, cooperation among the public, businesses, and all stakeholders is crucial, she added.

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Mentioning that the superstores are willingly implementing this decision and offering alternative suggestions themselves, the Adviser said “Discussions with the Ministry of Jute have been held, and actions against polythene production will begin in November. She also called for increasing awareness among both buyers and sellers.”

Secretary and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, the Director General of the Department of Environment, leaders of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association, and representatives from the Superstore Owners Association were present there.

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