The Chattogram district administration has taken initiative to make the Chattogram a polyethene-free city in the interest of environment and public health. The district administration has an operation in this regard.
Additional District Magistrate of Chattogram Rakib Hossain has informed about the operation in a notification.
The district administration has taken various initiatives in this regard. As part of the initiatives, a seminar to build a polythene-free city will be organised on May 31.
However, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chattogram Abul Basar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman said, “We want to make Chattogram a polythene-free city. We seek everyone's cooperation in this regard.”
Rakib Hossain said that the drainage system in Chattogram city has become inoperable due to the widespread use of polythene, shopping bags and polypropylene materials. As a result, Chattogram city faces flooding every year during the monsoon season. The widespread use of non-biodegradable polythene is being dumped in the drains and canals of the city. It is polluting the water and collapsing the drainage system.
According to the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, the import, marketing, display, distribution and transportation of any kind of polyethylene, shopping bags, polyethylene or polypropylene products are prohibited.
All commercial establishments, markets, shops and stalls in the port city have been asked not to display, sell, distribute and use polythene, said Rakib Hossain.
The notification of Chattogram district administration states that eco-friendly bags should be used instead of polythene bags to save the environment and the use of jute, paper and cloth bags should be increased as alternatives.
Traders should be sincere in stopping the use, marketing, sale, display and stock of all types of polythene bags and polyethylene products which are harmful to the environment. Otherwise, the district administration will soon take strict legal action.
In order to build a pollution and polythene free city, instructions have been given to the concerned institutions, offices, organizations and traders to increase the use of eco-friendly jute bags, paper and cloth bags as an alternative to polythene.
