Super shops can’t use polythene bags from 1 Oct: Rizwana

Environment, forest and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan Monday said super shops cannot use polythene shopping bags and polypropylene bags and provide to the customers from 1 October.

Alternative jute and cloth bags will be placed at or in front of all super shops for customers while the youths and students will be involved in this initiative, she said.

The adviser made the announcement at the meeting with the stakeholders at the secretariat.

Rizwana further said that the advertisement of banning shopping bags will be widely circulated in print and electronic media from 15 September.

Public notice will be published in newspapers as well, she added.

She said the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will hold meetings with all the super shops within a week and take necessary measures to ensure the supply of shopping bags made of jute.

The Department of Environment (DoE) in association with ESDO will organise a fair for manufacturers of alternative eco-friendly materials / jute / textile bags by 30 September, she informed the media.

At the fair, the adviser said, super shop authorities and producers can discuss their demand and supply.

The environment, forest and climate change secretary, additional secretaries of the ministry, DoE director general, senior officials of other ministries and representatives of various super shops were present at the meeting.