Bangladesh to Ban Single-Use Plastic in Sundarbans

Bangladesh government has decided to put strict restrictions on the use of single-use plastic items in the Sundarbans. It is an effort to save the environment of one of the world’s largest mangrove forests.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister of Bangladesh Md Shahab Uddin said, Sundarbans’ environment and biodiversity are being severely affected due to the indiscriminate use of plastics in the area. “We’ll no more allow tourists to use single-use plastic items in the Sundarbans,” the Minister added.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest is at the delta of the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. This region is a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. According to UNESCO, Sundarbans is known for a wide range of fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, 260 species of birds and other threatened species like the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

Bangladesh has banned single-use plastic items in its coastal districts and at all government offices. With around 17 crore population, Bangladesh has a population of more than 165 million with a very high population density. Its rapid economic growth and urbanization have started to take a toll on the environment.