Bangladesh Bans Polythene Bags Again, Raises Hopes for Eco-Friendly Sonali’ Bag — Global Issues
DHAKA, Nov 27 (IPS) – After Bangladesh’s interim government banned polythene bags, new hope has emerged for the Sonali bag—a jute-based, eco-friendly alternative invented in 2017 by Bangladeshi scientist Dr. . Mubarak Ahmed Khan. The Sonali bag, or golden bag, is named after the golden jute fiber it is made of.
Despite its promises, the project has struggled to make tangible progress due to a lack of funding. However, following the announcement of the ban on polythene bags, Mubarak is now under pressure to supply his Sonali bag to a market desperate for sustainable alternatives.
“Ever since the government banned polythene bags, we have faced a huge pressure of orders that we cannot meet – people are coming in with requests in huge numbers,” Mubarak Ahmed Khan told IPS.
The latest ban, which went into effect on October 1 in supermarkets and traditional markets on November 1, is not the first time Bangladesh has imposed a ban on polythene bags.
In 2002, the country became the first in the world to outlaw them, as plastic waste was clogging the city’s sewers and worsening the water crisis, with Dhaka alone consuming an estimated 410 million polybags every month. But the ban gradually lost its effectiveness over the years, mainly due to the lack of affordable and effective alternatives and the lack of enforcement of the proper use of regulatory authorities.
Polythene bags, although cheap, are harmful to the environment as they are non-biodegradable and their decomposition takes at least 400 years. The Sonali Bag as an alternative, on the other hand, is considered a replacement item because it is biodegradable, able to decompose in three months.
The ban comes as talks on the UN Plastics Treaty continue in Busan, South Korea. The UN Environment Program estimates that around the world, one million plastic bottles are bought every minute.
“Overall, half of all plastics produced are designed for single-use use—once and then thrown away.”
Without the agreement, the OECD estimates that annual plastic production, consumption, and waste is expected to increase by 70 percent by 2040 compared to 2020.
Discussions have been stalled in the past due to disagreements about how to manage waste, as some countries prefer to introduce limits on plastic production while others support circularity with use, reuse, and recycling as the main goals.
The negotiations for the plastic agreement will start from 25 November 2024 to 1 December 2024.
However, despite its environmental benefits and high demands, in Bangladesh the Sonali Bag project remains within the experimental phase.
The late onset of the financial crisis
After Mubarak’s inauguration hit the headlines, state-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation launched a pilot project, setting up a jute-polymer unit at Latif Bawani Jute Mill to produce the Sonali Bag.
Mubarak said that they have been asking for government funding, as the program was working under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute. However, the basic funding that kept the pilot project going ended last December, and the previous government—which was overthrown in August in a major uprising—had abandoned the project.
“It was confirmed that we might receive a subsidy of R100 (about USD 8 million) from the government in July. But then there was political turmoil and a change of government,” said Mubarak.
After the new government took over, they renewed promises to fund the Sonali Bag project.
“The interim government told us that we will get the money in January. If that happens, we will be able to produce five tons of bags per day,” said Mubarak. “Five tons may not be a lot, but it will give us an opportunity to show our work to private investors, and increase their confidence by engaging with us.”
According to Mubarak, one kilogram of Sonali bags is equivalent to 100 pieces of small bags. Based on this estimate, five tons can produce approximately 15 million bags per month.
Bangladesh’s current advisor to the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, Md. Sakhawat Hossain, told IPS that they are seriously considering funding the Sonali Bag project in January, although she admitted that her department is currently facing a financial crisis.
“The work will start in full after the handover of the fund,” said Sakhawat Hossain. When asked if Mubarak would receive the money in January, he replied, “We hope so.”
Prohibition that does not have adequate alternatives nearby
Mubarak Ahmed Khan considers the government’s decision to ban polythene bags as a “laudable” step. However, he stressed that sustainable and affordable alternatives to polythene bags should come soon.
Mubarak is not alone in his concerns. Sharif Jamil, founder of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, an organization dedicated to protecting water facilities, shares doubts about the effectiveness of the ban at this time, citing the lack of sustainable alternatives on the market.
“The announcement of this ban is an important and timely step. However, it should be noted that our previous ban was not implemented. Without addressing the root problems that led to non-compliance with the previous ban, the new polythene ban will not solve the existing problems. It is important to address the challenges that have allowed polythene to remain in the market,” Sharif Jamil told IPS.
“If you don’t give people an alternative and simply remove polythene from the market, the ban will not work,” he added.
Sharif noted that some alternatives in the market are unaffordable, some sell jute bags for Tk25 in supermarkets, while polythene bags are often offered at a free price.
“Alternative methods must be easily affordable and accessible to the public,” he said.
Mubarak said his Sonali bag currently costs Tk10 per piece, but he expects to lower the price with increased production and demand.
Competitive pursuit of sustainable alternatives
Sharif Jamil, however, wants to compete in the sustainable alternative market.
“It’s not just promoting the project of Dr. Mubarak,” said Sharif.
This technology should be encouraged and recognized, but the government should ensure two other things, he said.
“If the government can make it accessible to the people at a low cost, it will reach them. Second, if the only alternative is Mubarak, it will also create independence,” he said.
It must be competitive, he recommended. Bangladesh has a competition commission to ensure that other sustainable solutions in the market are also encouraged and recognized.
“Besides helping and promoting Mubarak’s project, the government should ensure fair competition so that people can get it at a lower price,” he added.
Because of nature
Counselor Shakhawat Hossain said that they have high hopes for the success of Sonali Bag.
“Currently, the ambassadors of different countries are meeting me on this matter. Some home buyers are also destined for this. It looks like it will be a sustainable development,” he said.
Mubarak said that if they get this funding soon, Sonali Bag will have a market not only in Bangladesh but all over the world.
He said private investors should come forward not only because the government has banned polythene bags, but because of the moral obligation to correct the negative impact of these bags on the environment.
“With this, I believe we can create an environment without polythene,” said Mubarak, admitting, “It is not easy to introduce this to the market only because it is a new product. We are up against a single-use plastic market of USD 3.5 trillion.”
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
