In 2002, Bangladesh made a bold decision. To protect the environment, it surprised the world by becoming the first country to legally ban the production, marketing, and use of polythene bags. The decision received international praise at the time. Yet two decades later, that law feels like a tragic irony-because reality shows that polythene is not truly banned; rather, it has become one of the most ordinary elements of our daily lives.
Today, polythene bags coexist everywhere-markets, supermarkets, sidewalks, vegetable bazaars, and even in official government files. Laws exist, penalties exist, and policies exist-but firm enforcement does not. As a result, even twenty years after the ban, Bangladesh is sinking deeper into the dark abyss of plastic pollution.
Raw materials for plastic products thicker than 55 microns are legally permitted for import. But behind this legal permission lies manipulation. After import, the raw materials change destination and enter production lines that manufacture banned polythene bags. Monitoring remains weak, enforcement drives are irregular, and the highly profitable business continues to thrive.
In Dhaka and Chattogram, polythene pollution has taken the form of silent aggression. Layers of plastic accumulate in street dust, drains, canals, and even riverbeds. This is no longer merely pollution; it is a long-term assault on urban infrastructure and public health. Drains and sewers meant to quickly carry away rainwater have become temporary dams made of polythene. Each monsoon reveals white, blue, and black polythene bags blocking drainage openings, causing water to stagnate for hours. Every rainy season in Dhaka has become a demonstration of polythene's destructive power. According to city corporation estimates, about 21 million polybags are used daily in Dhaka and end up clogging drains and streets-far beyond the capacity of any sanitation system to manage.
The beds of the Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya, and Karnaphuli rivers are also covered by a dark empire of polythene. Experts say that in some parts of the Buriganga, the plastic layer exceeds 10 feet in thickness. This disrupts natural water flow, halts fish breeding, and threatens aquatic life. Navigation is hindered, and flood risks increase during monsoon seasons.
Polythene does not decompose in soil; instead, it persists for hundreds of years, reducing soil fertility. It blocks the flow of water and oxygen in agricultural land. Toxic chemicals such as bisphenol can leach into food wrapped in polythene, increasing risks of cancer and liver and kidney complications. Unregulated recycling processes that melt used polythene into new bags further heighten these dangers. Burning polythene causes severe air pollution-burning one ton releases about 1,340 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
At one time, the "Golden Bag" offered hope. Laws mandating jute packaging were introduced, and the use of paper and jute bags increased. But due to policy weaknesses and industrial neglect, those initiatives stalled. Jute mills closed, innovation slowed, and markets returned to cheap polythene. Recently, a new deception has emerged under the name "tissue polythene"-marketed as eco-friendly but proven harmful in tests.
So where is the solution? Experts say it rests on three pillars: strict and consistent enforcement of laws, strong state support for effective alternatives, and above all, a change in citizen behavior. No law can be sustainable if people refuse to carry their own bags to the market.
This invisible empire of polythene is not only dirtying our cities but also eroding state policy and the prospects of future generations. Yet history reminds us that Bangladesh was once a pioneer. It can be again-if political will, administrative firmness, and civic responsibility converge at a single point. Because society changes only when people are ready to change their small habits. The polythene crisis, therefore, is not just an environmental issue-it is a test of our national character. Passing this test is now essential for Bangladesh's future.
The writer is a contributor
