The government has ordered intensified mobile court drives and strict legal action to stop the production, transportation, marketing and use of banned polythene bags across the country, as their use is resurging in markets despite the longstanding prohibition.
Authorities are also stepping up efforts to shut down illegal polythene manufacturing factories and strengthen monitoring to eliminate the use of non-biodegradable bags in fresh markets.
The growing spread of plastic waste has raised further concerns about environmental pollution, clogged drainage systems and threats to marine biodiversity, particularly the coral reefs surrounding Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh's only coral island.
Deputy Director of the Department of Environment (DoE) Sabrin Sultana told BSS that mobile court operations and strict enforcement measures were being strengthened nationwide to prevent the production, transportation, marketing and use of banned polythene.
"These efforts to protect the environment will continue vigorously," she said.
Officials said banned polythene bags were increasingly visible in markets in Dhaka and other parts of the country, including grocery shops, vegetable markets, fish markets and fruit stalls.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and other relevant agencies have been instructed to carry out their responsibilities effectively to curb the problem.
Experts warned that the indiscriminate disposal of polythene and plastic waste degrades soil and water quality, blocks drains and contributes to severe urban waterlogging. Microplastics can also enter the human body through fish and agricultural products, potentially posing serious health risks.
Professor Tanvir Ahmed of the Department of Civil Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said stopping polythene production was essential to protecting the environment.
He stressed the need for stronger action by the DoE and improved waste collection by local government bodies.
Polythene bags and plastic bottles accumulate in rivers, canals, ponds and soil, where they can break down into tiny particles that persist in the environment for long periods, he said.
Plastic waste also threatens cattle, goats, turtles, fish and seabirds, which may ingest it and suffer malnutrition or die. Burning plastic can release harmful gases and particles that irritate the respiratory tract and cause coughing and breathing difficulties, he added.
Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said effective alternatives to polythene must be made available alongside stronger enforcement and improved waste removal.
He recommended reusable bags made of cloth or jute and reusable glass or stainless-steel bottles as alternatives to plastic products.
A visit to several Dhaka markets by BSS found that vendors were using polythene bags to sell a wide range of goods.
Vegetable seller Md Monir said it was difficult to sell products without polythene because suitable alternatives were unavailable and many customers did not bring their own bags.
Buyer Zakir Hossain said polythene was cheap and convenient, particularly for separating different products before placing them in a larger shopping bag.
Bangladesh banned the production, marketing and sale of polythene bags nationwide from 1 March 2002 through legislation introduced during the four-party alliance government, led by then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, plastic pollution poses a serious threat to Saint Martin's Island, where bottles, polythene bags, food wrappers and other waste accumulate along beaches and in surrounding marine waters.
Officials said plastic waste reaches the island through ocean currents from the Naf River estuary, Teknaf and nearby coastal areas, as well as from fishing boats, ships, tourists and local residents.
The government is implementing measures to protect the island's ecosystem and biodiversity, including tighter tourism controls and waste management initiatives. Restrictions include bans on carrying polythene, using single-use plastic products, operating motorised vehicles on beaches and disturbing marine wildlife and coral.
Environmentalists and residents have also found discarded packaging bearing foreign-language writing and company logos from Myanmar and Thailand, suggesting that cross-border marine pollution may be contributing to the problem.
They said coordinated regional efforts, alongside stronger domestic enforcement and effective waste management, were increasingly necessary to protect the country's coastal and marine environment.