Dhaka, Mar 28 (IANS): Bangladesh will ban single-use plastic items in the Sundarbans, one of the world's largest mangrove forests.

Sundarbans' environment and biodiversity are being severely affected due to the haphazard use of plastics, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin said at a meeting here, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We'll no more allow tourists to use single-use plastic items in the Sundarbans," the Minister added.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.

The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests.

It is known for a wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Royal Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python, according to the Unesco.

The Minister said Bangladesh has also imposed bans on single-use plastic items in its coastal districts and at all government offices, which are required to hold regular meetings with the stakeholders to increase awareness against plastics-triggered pollution.

Bangladesh has a population of more than 165 million with a very high population density.

Experts said the country's rapid economic growth and urbanization have come at a high environmental cost.

Pollution is not only impacting people's health but also eroding the country's economic competitiveness.