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Published : 27 Jul 2026, 06:32 PM
A lawyer has moved the High Court seeking an independent investigation into reports of microplastics in toothpaste.
Reports say 28 toothpaste products sold in Bangladesh contain microplastics considered harmful to human health and the environment.
Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun filed the public interest petition on Monday, saying it is likely to be heard by a High Court bench headed by Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury.
After filing the petition, Mamun said: "Reports published in several national newspapers showed that different toothpaste products contained microplastics, with between 20 and 320 particles found in individual samples. We believe this could be extremely harmful to human health and the environment."
He referred to findings that microplastics were detected not only in local brands but also in toothpaste imported from Thailand, Malaysia and India.
"We are seeking an independent investigation. We have asked the court to order a report assessing the potential impact of these substances on human health and the environment."
Mamun also claimed that microplastics had been found in some relatively expensive toothpaste brands, including products recommended by dentists.
"Of the six toothpaste products marketed for children, four were found to contain these plastic particles. Some of the highest levels were detected in several premium-priced toothpaste brands," he said.
Expressing concern, Mamun said: "The first thing people use when they wake up in the morning is something harmful! Their whole day begins with something harmful and ends with something harmful."
He clarified that the petition does not seek an immediate order to remove any toothpaste products from the market.
"We are primarily seeking an independent investigation. If the investigation proves that these toothpaste products are harmful to human health and the environment, we will then seek appropriate measures, including their withdrawal from the market," he said.
The respondents named in the petition include the secretaries of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Industries; the directors general of the Department of Environment, the Directorate General of Drug Administration, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection; as well as the inspector general of police.
