Polythene not only contributes to environmental pollution but also poses a severe threat to the country’s agriculture.

Waste of polythene is found everywhere – in fields, canals, rivers, ponds, and agricultural lands, remaining non-degradable for hundreds of years. This hinders the growth of microorganisms in the soil and leads to soil infertility. Moreover, the risk of contamination affects the cultivation of all types of crops, creating a multifaceted agricultural challenge.

Environmentalists said that before the ban on polythene two decades ago, a polythene bag cost one-two taka. They should cost at least 10-15 rupees now if inflation is taken into account. But currently polythene bags are available for 20-30 poisha. Shopkeepers are giving away five polythene free with five products. Even if you buy 100 grams of ginger, a polythene is coming home. Although a portion of plastic bottles are recycled, all of the polyethylene is released into the environment. These are becoming dusty and spreading everywhere in the environment in the form of microplastics.

According to research by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it takes about 20 years for plastic bags used in grocery stores to leach into the soil; Plastic cups for tea, coffee, juice and soft drinks take 50 years; Plastic bottles remain intact in nature for about 450 years.

This year, a private company dug up the soil of the river banks around Dhaka and found half a kilogram to one and a half kilograms of plastic per ton of soil. 15 years old plastic was also found there.

A survey by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) found that 87,000 tons of single-use polythene and plastic are used in Bangladesh every year. These non-perishable products fall into agricultural land, water drainage system, rivers, canals and sea causing serious damage to the environment, environment and agriculture.

Jamilur Rahman, Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, told Bangladesh Pratidin, New soil is constantly created by natural law. Soil organisms fertilize the soil by decomposing organic matter. Microorganisms do not grow in polythene or plastic. New soil is not formed. Again, due to plastic or polythene, the plant cannot spread its roots. It reduces crop production. The impact may not be apparent, but the future is dire. There may be disaster in agriculture.

“The city corporation collects the household waste in Dhaka. But throughout the day, packets of chips, chanachur, biscuits are scattered in the environment. And in the village, garbage is not collected at all. That is why there is not much crop in the land around houses and bazaar in the village. Even though the agricultural land far away from the locality seems clean, microplastics have entered there. Polythene may not fall directly, but will gradually spread everywhere with wind or water.”

“Microplastics accumulate in these lands with irrigation water. Because river water is full of microplastics. Microplastics are found in fish bodies. These plastics enter our body through food and cause various diseases including cancer,” he added.

Going to a small polythene shop of 16-20 square feet size in the capital's Notun Bazar area, it is known that around 30-35 kg of polythene is bought by the shopkeepers from the shop every day. According to a report by the Save the Environment Movement (PABA), there are at least 1500 illegal polythene factories across the country. There are at least seven hundred factories near Old Dhaka and the banks of the Buriganga.

According to the information of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, 8 lakh 21 thousand 250 tons of plastic waste is generated annually in the country. 40 per cent of it is recycled or reused, but the rest ends up in the environment.

According to government data, people across the country generate an average of 9 to 10 kg of plastic waste per capita annually. In the capital, its amount is from 18 to 22 kg.

Aminur Rasul Babul, member of the executive committee of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) told Bangladesh Pratidin, “How a product that was banned by law 20 years ago is sold openly, how the factory grows, does not take into account. In old Dhaka, there are polythene factories in every house. There is definitely a lot of corruption here. Everyone gets a share of it. Earlier, everyone used to go to the market with cloth bags. That culture has gone up with the availability of polythene. Cessation of polythene production would automatically lead to alternatives.”

“Studies have shown that each member of a family uses an average of five polythenes per day. Biscuit packets, chanachur packets, chips packets, juice bottles are all plastic now. Eating the food and throwing the packet everywhere. How terrible! Here either alternative products have to be arranged, otherwise recycling has to be arranged. Manufacturers of useful plastic products should be forced to recycle. Anyone who pollutes should be punished immediately,” he added.

(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 27 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)