In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban the production, import, marketing and use of polythene bags, a type of single-use plastic bag. The single-use plastic ban, made through the Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act, was seen as a major environmental milestone. Yet by 2020, per capita plastic consumption had tripled from 3 kg in 2002 to 9 kg, according to a 2021 World Bank study.

For the riverine country, plastic pollution worsened flooding, clogged drainage systems and contaminated waterways. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority estimates that 12-13 feet of plastic waste now sits at the bottom of the Buriganga River, a lifeline for the capital, Dhaka.

As Bangladesh’s new government, in power since October 2024, launches a renewed crackdown on plastic bags, it is worth examining why the original single-use plastic ban failed, what lessons can be learned, and whether the new act can succeed.

Civic Activism Pushed Political Parties to Act on Single-Use Plastic Ban

The 2002 single-use plastic ban stemmed from sustained pressure by environmental activists and civil society groups. Shahriar Hossain, secretary-general of the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), an NGO, recalls how early advocacy efforts mobilised public support.

“In 1992, we organised a rally in Dhaka against polythene, which significantly raised public awareness,” Hossain tells Dialogue Earth. “Jute mill workers, in particular, backed the movement.” (Jute is a type of fibrous plant cultivated for use as a textile.)

Political reactions were mixed. ASM Hannan Shah, Bangladesh’s Minister of Jute from 1991 to 1996 under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government, supported a three-year phase-out plan, advocating for jute, cloth, cane and paper alternatives.

In contrast, Mohammad Hanif, the Awami League’s candidate for the mayoralty of Dhaka, opposed closing polythene factories in old Dhaka, the city’s historic quarters and home to a large number of factories. His victory in 1994 signalled the political challenges ahead, culminating in the rule of the Awami League government from 1996 to 2001.

Read the full article about single-use plastic bans by Kamran Reza Chowdhury at Eco-Business.