In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban the production, import, marketing and use of polythene bags, a type of single-use plastic bag. The ban, made through the Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act, was seen as a major environmental milestone. Yet by 2020, per capita plastic consumption had tripled from 3 kg in 2002 to 9 kg, according to a 2021 World Bank study.

For the riverine country, plastic pollution worsened flooding, clogged drainage systems and contaminated waterways. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority estimates that 12-13 feet of plastic waste now sits at the bottom of the Buriganga River, a lifeline for the capital, Dhaka.

As Bangladesh’s new government, in power since October 2024, launches a renewed crackdown on plastic bags, it is worth examining why the original ban failed, what lessons can be learned, and whether the new act can succeed.