SINCE Bangladesh is a lower riparian country, we are facing trans-boundary river pollution, including plastic waste, from our neighbouring countries. According to a report titled “Trans-boundary movement of plastic waste: Situation of Bangladesh”, plastic waste is causing a serious threat to the rivers, waterways, human health and the maritime biodiversity here.
The trans-boundary plastic waste, the study states, comes from China, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan — all of them are situated upstream of Bangladesh and have an interconnected river systems. Our overall maritime area is significantly larger as we are traversed by the three major river systems of Asia, namely — the Ganges, the Brammaputra and the Meghna. The neighouring countries dump more plastic waste than Bangladesh itself does. Bangladesh produces 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day while the three major rivers carry 73,000 tonnes of plastic waste to the Bay of Bengal every day. These three major rivers systems drain a total of about 1.72 million square kilometre out of which only 7 per cent lie in Bangladesh.
Being the lowest riparian land of the Major Himalayan Rivers, Bangladesh has no control over the huge trans-boundary flows plastic waste via these waterways, as there is no international treaty in this regard.
Bangladesh, the study says, can start a regional dialogue if it ratifies the Basel Convention Ban Amendment, which prohibits illegal plastic trade and trans-boundary movement. The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is also working on a treaty to control trans-boundary waste movement, especially through natural ways, like waterways. As a downstream country, Bangladesh needs to play a proactive role on this treaty.
Trans-boundary plastic pollution through the major rivers’ is a big concern for Bangladesh as a lower riparian country. Bangladesh must start discussion with the neighbouring countries for proper management and pollution reduction from plastic.
