Single-use plastic to be banned at Secretariat from 2 Oct: Cabinet Secretary

The use of harmful single-use plastic items at the Bangladesh Secretariat will be banned from 2 October 2025, said Cabinet Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid on Tuesday.

He made this announcement while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Sustainable Plastic Use in the Secretariat: A Future for a Single-Use Plastic Free Environment”, organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at the Multipurpose Hall of the Finance Division, said a press release.

Abdur Rashid said plastic pollution is a global challenge requiring collective international efforts.

“Our actions must not only serve our present needs but also safeguard the future for the next generation. We must leave behind a healthier and more sustainable world for them,” he added.

Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, who chaired the seminar, said the ministry will soon formulate and implement a detailed action plan to enforce the ban.

She said the Secretariat will be made environment-friendly through coordinated efforts of all ministries.

The government has officially categorised 17 items as single-use plastic including disposable cutlery, chocolate wrappers, plastic invitation cards and banners, Styrofoam food containers, thin plastic packaging, plastic bottles and caps, among others, as part of its effort to protect the environment and control pollution.