Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday directed law enforcement agencies to take stricter action against the unchecked use of polythene and plastic to help control environmental pollution.
He also instructed relevant ministries, departments and agencies to properly carry out their responsibilities in enforcing these measures.
The directive came during a review meeting on environmental pollution control held at the Secretariat in the morning chaired by the Prime Minister according to a statement from the PM's Press Wing.
The meeting reviewed progress on various government initiatives aimed at reducing environmental pollution including wider use of eco-friendly block bricks, controlling air, water, soil and noise pollution, and improving waste management systems. Future measures in these areas were also discussed.
Among those present were Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam the State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam and the Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Saimum Parvez, along with other senior officials from concerned ministries and agencies.
The move reflects the government's ongoing push to curb plastic pollution, which remains a major environmental concern in Bangladesh, particularly affecting drainage systems, waterways and soil health. Officials say stronger enforcement, combined with eco-friendly alternatives like block bricks, could help reduce the country's dependence on single-use plastics and support broader pollution-control goals across urban and rural areas.
