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Polybags again
3/12/2006
WE cannot hold our success in many cases due to lack of continuity of work. The ban on polythene bag is one of them. The availability of thin polybags is so widespread now that we often get confused whether any ban on its use was ever there. We often read reports and letters in the national dailies on this matter but have not yet seen any drive in response to those reports.
Actually, this pollutant element is pervading the market due to lack of supervision by the authorities concerned. It has now become the main carrier for all kinds of goods and driven away the bags which came into the market as alternatives after the ban on polythene was imposed.
When the drive against polythene bag was launched, a social movement developed with the active participation of people. It was noticed that people used to reject the polythene bags even when the shop owners tried to push them. We were happy to see the government's success and became hopeful about similar successes in other cases too.
But the reality says something different. Previously, polybags had handles to hold them. But now there is no such thing in these bags, for which these are easily torn. Besides, rampant use of bags made of nylon net has also washed away the success of the drive.
Nylon net bags like polythene bags do not decompose in the soil and are not usually recycled. The longevity of net bags is even higher than that of polybags which were earlier used.
We urge the authorities concerned to revive their drive against polythene bags again so that the success once earned dose not fade away.
K Zaman
DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka
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