Huge ploythene bags seized in Barisal: 9 shops fined
Sold openly in Noakhali markets
A taskforce led by a magistrate of environment directorate, raided Hatkhola and Bazaar Road areas in the city on Monday and seized about 15 maunds of banned polythene sheets and shopping bags.
The team fined nine wholesale shops over Tk. 2 lakhs. The owners of the shops are Shibu Lal Banik, Kanchan Mir, Santosh Saha, Bishwanath Sarkar, Debobrata Saha, Bijoy Sarkar, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Swapan Saha and Khalil Khan.
Officials of law enforcing agencies and BSTI accompanied the high-powered team of environment directorate during the drive.
The fined businessmen, however claimed they were marketing polythene lawfully and of approved standard.
Mohammad Qamruzzaman, administrative magistrate and leader of the high-powered team of environment directorate refuting the claim of the businessmen said his men seized polythene items only which were banned by the authorities.
In Noakhali, banned polythene bags have staged a comeback, reports our correspondent.
Market source said, polythene shopping bags are being used openly and at random at almost all the kitchen markets, confectioneries, general stores and grocery shops in the town posing a serious threat to public health and environment.
A section of businessmen are supplying the bags to the retailers defying the government ban under the nose of the law enforcers.
The shopkeepers and vendors have started using the banned shopping bags again towards the end of last year in the absence of proper monitoring and drive by the authorities concerned, the sources said.
Nowadays use of polythene bags has become a common phenomenon in the town markets for lack of mobile court operation, Zulu Mia, a trader at Municipal Market in the town said.
Vegetable vendor Md Alamgir at Maijdee Bazar kitchen market said, they were compelled to use polythene bags as there was no alternative.
“We need a cheaper, durable and available alternative to replace the polythene bags," he said.
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