Dhaka, Oct. 5 -- The government aims to make the Bangladesh Secretariat completely free of single-use plastic by Jan 1, Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, Rizwana said the initiative to phase out single-use plastic from government offices has begun with the Secretariat.

"The use of water bottles and other single-use plastic items will be stopped by December," she said.

She added that although single-use plastics are not yet legally banned in Bangladesh, the government is discouraging their use.

"Several embassies and universities have already declared their campuses plastic-free."

Earlier in the day, Environment Secretary Farhina Ahmed monitored the implementation act...