Golam Rabbi, a resident of New Eskaton, Dhaka, engaged in a dispute with an attendant at the cash counter of a Shwapno super shop outlet in the area over a Tk 11 charge for a jute bag. The altercation arose after the government banned the use of polyethylene bags in such shops from October 1, 2024. Ultimately, Rabbi left the outlet without purchasing grocery items worth about Tk 1,300, upset by the Tk 11 charge for the jute bag. The sales operators tried to explain by showing him the government order banning plastic bags in super shops, but he remained unconvinced. Bangladesh seeks climate justice: Syeda Rizwana Hasan Incidents like this are becoming common as sales operators now supply fish, meat, and other frozen items in paper bags instead of polybags following the government's embargo on plastic bags in super shops. Bangladesh generates about 87,000 tonnes of single-use plastics annually, much of which ends up as waste. As a result, the government has begun enforcing a ban on single-use plastics as part of broader efforts to reduce plastic waste, starting with grocery bags. Experts said that Bangladesh has been grappling with a significant plastic pollution problem. The country's rapid industrialization and growing population have increased demand for plastic products. This, coupled with inadequate waste management infrastructure, has led to widespread plastic pollution, particularly in urban areas and waterways, they added. In response to this issue, the interim government issued a gazette notification on August 27, 2024, to phase out single-use plastics (SUP) in 17 sectors, in accordance with an order from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change issued on June 20, 2024. The notification instructs immediate implementation of the ban to protect the environment and reduce pollution. Stakeholders Shamim Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) told UNB that an inter-ministerial meeting is a must before issuing such an order banning SUP in 17 sectors, otherwise, 6000 industries will be heavily affected and thousands of labour would be unemployed. “Government officials attended such meetings earlier without any home study on the issue, as a result, they (officials) do not understand what decision will be fruitful, and what the alternative of the plastic products is,” he pointed out from his long-time experience. Recently joined a workshop in Japan on plastic products and visited Singapore. BPGMEA President Ahmed said these developed countries of Asia are using plastic in every sector like Bangladesh. But they (Japan and Singapore) collect 100 percent of plastic waste and recycle it. He said considering inadequate supply, higher prices and lack of adoption capacity of plastic alternative sources, developed countries like Japan and Singapore cannot be successful in using the alternative of plastic so far. Most of the countries in the world are focusing on well management of recycling plastic waste, which is a good alternative so far, he said. Shamim Ahmed giving examples of the export-oriented and domestic consumption packaging sector said that packaging is not possible without Iodised salt that comes from plastic, edible oil packaging without plastic bottles and liquid milk packaging is impossible. The resolution adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly on March 2, 2022, has focused on establishing effective recycling infrastructure considering the proportion of plastic in the circular economy globally. Proposal to manage plastic waste from stockholders- The BPGMEA has put forward a proposal to protect the environment and industries before the invention of suitable alternatives of plastic products. It suggested plastic waste into wealth by developing the right waste management plans for Bangladesh. Developing awareness among common people to dispose of plastic in a specific place, including textbook curriculum about waste management, setting up enough ‘BIN’ for plastic waste in different places including bus-rail stations, parks, and walkways. Shoppers back polythene ban, worry about alternatives Use Local Government Institute (LGI) to enhance knowledge adoption and supply equipment at subsidised rates for setting up plastic waste management plants in urban areas. Introduced plastic circularity for sustainable waste management, through which the government should arrange technology supply and provide loans at reduced interest rates for setting waste management plans in Bangladesh like other developed countries. Banning plastic production is not a solution, so Bangladesh should follow in this regard otherwise industry operation would be quite impossible. Such as food processing, Pharmaceuticals packages, hospital equipment, agricultural modernisation, and export packaging sectors would not run without plastic products. Banning steps will affect these industries heavily, said the industry stockholders. Statistics of plastic-related industries According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data published in 2021, SL Industry Sector Total industries Production value (TK) 1 Manufacturing of food products 9397  Tk1263747 million 2 Manuf of Beverages  37  Tk123330 million 3 Manufacturing of Tobacco products 181  Tk286171 million  4 Manuf. Of Chemical & chemical products 251 Tk121526 million 5 Pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals & Botanical products 149 Tk268624 million 6 Manuf. Rubber & plastic products 943 Tk661469 million   Client Opinion: Unilever Bangladesh, a leading fast-moving consumer goods producer is a big customer of many SUP products, which company is marketing its products in Bangladesh and globally in plastic packaging. This type of company is not a producer of plastic products, but Unilever is the customer for packaging its products as single-use plastic packets or bottles. Shamima Akhter, Director of Corporate Affairs of Unilever, told UNB that publishing a phase-out list of plastic products is appreciated. She, however, emphasised inclusive dialogue with stockholders for awareness and priorities of products for implementing the phase-out plan. Shamima said that Unilever is marketing with 1.3 million shop owners in Bangladesh for a large number of products that have been packaged in plastic products for as long as considering good quality ensuring products in plastic packaging. “If an alternative packaging system is developed at a reasonable rate, Unilever will use that, until the invention alternative, it is essential plastic packaging,” she pointed out. She also emphasised more research on it and focuses on recycling single-use plastic products considering its no alternative.

The leading exhibitors from 19 countries are displaying their innovative, efficient and cost-effective products at the four-day virtual International Plastics, Printing & Packaging Industry Fair (IPF). Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) and Yorkers Trade & Marketing Service Co are hosting the four-day fair that began on Monday (July 5, 2021). Also read: Bangladesh booth steals limelight at Seoul Int'l Tourism Fair 2021 The expo titled ‘IPF Online Expo’ will end on July 8 with an event on the sidelines titled ‘Export-led Plastic Sector Development Policy: Opportunities and Challenges.” BPGMEA President Shamim Ahmed, its adviser Manzur Ahmed, former senior secretary Shubhashish Bose, BPGMEA Vice President KM Iqbal Hossain, Managing Director of Luna Plastic Ind Ltd ASM Kamal Uddin and former BPGMEA President Ferdous Wahed will speak at the event. Also read: Virtual IPF, DTG trade exhibitions in July, August The organizers said the online expo is a good way for staying in touch with customers and partners worldwide, presenting products and innovations, networking from knowledge-sharing activities, and an important format for getting access to new contacts.

Local manufacturers of plastic products have placed a 4-point list of demands including withdrawal of value added tax (VAT) on their purchase of raw materials to facilitate their business in the country.  Addressing a press conference, leaders of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) said the local plastic goods producers collect the used plastics from local sources as raw materials to manufacture their finished products which are used by people from all strata in rural and urban areas.  “But the VAT waiver was withdrawn in the 2017-18 financial year from the plastics goods which are mainly used as crockeries items by the poor and low income people. So, we demand the withdrawal of VAT for next five years to reduce the product cost,” said Shamim Ahmed, president of the BPGMEA, at the press conference at the organisation's office in the city on Monday. He also sought withdrawal of 15 percent VAT from locally made plastic toys, provision for tax holidays, reducing the source tax to 0.25 percent and fixing corporate tax at 10 percent for all business sectors. The BPGMEA also demanded raising the upper-limit of tax-free turnover to Tk 5 crore from the existing Tk 1.5 crore along with reducing the tax regime to 3 percent from existing 4 percent, and giving waiver to 3 percent advance income tax considering the Covid-19 situation.  Shamim Ahmed urged the government to allocate funds for plastic garbage recycling management saying that the country now produces 400 million metric tons of plastic goods which will reach 800 million metric tons by 2025.  “But there is no substantive initiative for management of the recycling of used plastic goods. It’s so important from a health safety point of view”, he said. The BPGMEA leaders appreciated the government for taking measures in favor of business community to promote trade and business across the country. Other leaders of the BPGMEA including vice president KM Iqbal Hossain, Kazi Anwarul Haque, former vice president ASM Kamal Uddin, Ferdows Wahid and Mosaddequr Rahman Nannu.

The High Court on Monday directed the government to take necessary steps to stop the use of polythene bags and one-time plastic products across the country, including the coastal region, within a year.