Dhaka: Adviser on Environment, Forests and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hassan has announced the official commencement of the initiative to phase out single-use plastics from government offices, starting with the Bangladesh Secretariat. This new policy aims to make the Secretariat completely free of single-use plastics by January 1, 2026, with initial steps to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles and other single-use items by December next year.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Rizwana Hassan highlighted that while the use of single-use plastics has not been banned in Bangladesh, the government is actively discouraging their use. She mentioned that several embassies and universities have already taken steps to declare their campuses free of single-use plastics.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, monitored the enforcement of the government decision by checking compliance at Gate 2 and Gate 5 of the Bangladesh Secretariat. Officials and employees were instructed to dispose of plastic bags and files in designated bins and to use cloth-made bags instead.
Dr. Farhina Ahmed also inspected awareness materials such as posters, billboards, and large displays throughout the Secretariat. She visited cafeterias in the Tourism Corporation and the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure adherence to the new policy. Furthermore, police officers are conducting continuous checks at all Secretariat gates to prevent the entry of single-use plastic items.