Despite a government ban on the use of polythene imposed six months ago for the sake of the environment, widespread use of the material representing a serious health hazard continues unchecked. The absence of a viable alternative to plastic is believed to hinder effective enforcement of the ban. In the picture taken at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka on Saturday, a labourer carries watermelons wrapped in polythene. — FE Photo by Asad-Uz-Zaman