The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change along with the Department of Environment conducted a monitoring drive yesterday morning in an effort to curb the use of banned polythene shopping bags.

The team inspected Mohammadpur Agricultural Market and several nearby supermarkets in the capital.

Members of a monitoring committee urged shoppers to use jute and cloth bags instead of polythene.

Vendors were instructed to cease using polythene bags, with a warning that strict actions would be taken if polythene bags are found during future inspections, said a media release from the ministry.

Tapan Kumar Biswas, additional secretary (Environmental Pollution Control) and head of the monitoring team, informed the media that strict legal actions will be taken against polythene bag manufacturers, starting tomorrow, to protect the environment.

Instructions have been issued to deputy commissioners and DoE field officers in all districts to ensure compliance.

Although mobile courts were not being operated on November 1 and 2 due to the weekend, monitoring would continue, according to  Tapan.

He called for public cooperation in eliminating polythene bag use, the press release said.

Joint Secretary Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Deputy Secretary Rubina Ferdousi, and DoE directors Rajinara Begum and Mohammad Masud Hasan Patwari, and concerned officials were also present.