The High Court has ordered the formation of a three-member expert committee to investigate the presence of harmful microplastics in 26 out of 34 toothpaste products available in the Bangladeshi market. The committee has been directed to submit its investigation report to the court within 15 days.The order was issued on Tuesday (July 28) by a High Court bench comprising Justices Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Md. Ziaul Hoque.The directive came after a writ petition was filed by Supreme Court lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun, seeking an investigation into the findings. He said that if the allegations are proven, he will request the court to order the withdrawal of the affected products from the market.The petition follows a research report unveiled on July 26 by the NGO Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD), which examined 34 toothpaste products from 19 brands sold across Bangladesh. The year-long study, conducted between July 2025 and June 2026, included consumer surveys, laboratory testing, and interviews with regulatory and scientific experts.According to the report, laboratory analysis found microplastics in 26 of the 34 toothpaste samples. The tests were conducted at the Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology (EHE) Laboratory of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Jahangirnagar University using stereomicroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.The study also surveyed 2,760 consumers from different parts of the country to assess toothpaste usage habits and public awareness of microplastics.Researchers said the findings represent Bangladesh’s first scientific assessment of microplastics in toothpaste and could serve as a foundation for developing safety standards, strengthening market surveillance, and formulating effective regulations to protect public health.
