The order was given to enforce the ban on polythene bags at field level successfully in absence of adequate manpower, Environment and Forest Minister Tariqul Islam told parliament yesterday.

Replying to a question from BNP lawmaker Major (retired) Manjur Quader (Sirajganj-6), the minister admitted that it is partially correct that polythene bags are still being produced in some factories in Dhaka.

But he said that a programme under the guidance of a taskforce comprising police, BDR, customs officials and others is being implemented at the initiative of Department of Environment (DoE).

The taskforce sealed off the factories manufacturing polythene bags illegally at Tejgaon and Lalbagh and seized such bags sold at kitchen markets, he added.

The minister and state minister of environment and forest ministry are regularly leading such sudden raids, Tariqul Islam said.

But in reality, he said, the DoE has limited manpower and it has no offices outside the divisional cities. As a result, it has become difficult to prevent successfully at the field level the manufacturing, marketing and use of the polythene bags.

That is why the police officers of the ranks of sub-inspector and above have been empowered to take legal measures in this connection in and outside the metropolitan areas, he added.