Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin on Sunday said the government has formulated a 10-year action plan to check plastic pollution in the country.
"A 10-year action plan has been formulated to prevent plastic pollution. A three-year plan to ban single-use plastics has been taken," he told a press conference at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at the Secretariat here.
As part of taking action against banned polythene shopping bags, the environment minister said, 3,692 cases have been filed through mobile courts from January 2019 to April 2023, while Tk5.47 crore was realised as fines.
About 1,763 tonnes of polythene was seized and 169 people were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment to this end, he said.
Also, programmes are being implemented to ensure that there is no pollution by single-use plastic in forest areas, including the Sundarbans, Shahab Uddin said.
Deputy Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar, Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed and senior officials of the ministry were present at the press conference.
Govt formulates 10-yr plan to check plastic pollution: Minister
