Dhaka: Commerce, Industry, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir announced the formation of an expert technical committee to investigate the presence of microplastic and other harmful chemicals in daily-use products, including toothpaste, during a parliamentary session today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister addressed an emergency notice under Rule 71 of the Rules of Procedure raised by Selina Sultana, MP from women's reserved seat-35, at the Jatiya Sangsad, chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal. The committee comprises university teachers, scientists, dental experts, physicians, and representatives from the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection. They have already held several meetings and collected samples for examination by the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR).
Muktadir stated that the committee would assess the presence of microplastic and other harmful chemical agents in products and recommend measures to set appropriate standards. The government is particularly attentive to a recent claim by a non-government research organization about toxic microplastic in toothpaste, although the research lacked comprehensive details on the microplastic's source and control methods.
To prevent public confusion from incomplete research findings, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) is actively monitoring the situation. Muktadir noted that microplastic is a new environmental and health concern not covered by current national standards set by the BSTI. Consequently, the BSTI lacks the necessary equipment and laboratory facilities to detect microplastic, though procurement of the required equipment is underway.
The government plans to restrict the addition of harmful polymeric materials in daily-use products, make ingredient declarations mandatory, and incorporate a standard evaluation system into national standards based on expert recommendations. Muktadir reiterated the government's commitment to public health and warned of strict legal action against manufacturers and importers violating BSTI standards.
Additionally, he mentioned that 10 food products and eight cosmetics items were recently withdrawn from the market due to non-compliance with BSTI standards, including various spices, ghee, and butter oil from different companies.