Polythene must eradicate for the sake of the Environment
Polythene is one of the reasons for environmental pollution and degradation. Though Bangladesh banned polythene in 2002, its production, distribution, and use have increased over time. It seems like the action of prohibiting polythene is only limited to documents.
Its production is going on without heeding the law. The Department of Environment (Bangladesh) is indifferent to this. There are allegations that polythene production continues by managing a class of dishonest officials of the department.
Last year, there were 500 polythene factories in the capital alone. In one year it has increased to 700. On the other hand, there are 1500 polythene factories all over the country. Most of the capital’s polythene factories are in the alleys of old Dhaka, Bangladesh.
These factories are running under in favor of dishonest officials of the department of the environment, law enforcement agencies, and local syndicates. They are trading crores of a month by collecting BDT 5,000 per machine of a factory.
There are allegations that the occasional anti-polythene operation by law enforcement agencies involves non-payment of dues. Only those factories which do not pay the dues are targeted.
It is observed that the business of polythene is going on in collaboration with the Department of Environment, law enforcement and influential syndicates of the concerned areas.
Polythene is not used in this way anywhere in the developed countries. As they are not good for the environment, many countries already imposed a ban on it. Even though it is forbidden by law in our country too, but it is not obeyed.
Hundreds of polythene factories are running, showing the thumbs up to the law. We do not know whether there are any instances of such lawlessness. Polythene is such a material that it does not rot.
According to experts, a bag made of polythene will take 400 years to decompose or run out. If polythene mixes up with the soil, the soil losses its fertility gradually.
Moreover, No plants and crops will grow on that land. According to statistics, 15 million polythene bags are disposed of in the capital every day after just one time of use.
Polythene bags are used almost everywhere, from big shopping malls to local grocery stores. These bags are then dumped irresponsibly anywhere, which end up in sewers and drains and block the whole drainage system.
The blockage ultimately turns to horrible waterlogging. Nevertheless, all this polythene finally arrived at rivers, canals and bees.
It is polluting the river as well as the environment of the sea. Polythene waste contributes significantly contributors to the Buriganga river’s pollutions and causing its navigability loss.
Once known, it’s the capital’s (Dhaka) soul. A few years ago, to restore the Buriganaga River, launched a dredging project, but due to the excessive amount of polythene, that project did not bring any fruitful results.
