In Pathein Township, residents have reported that after receiving instructions from the authorities to sell food, vegetables, meat, and fish wrapped in banana leaves, municipal employees are arresting vendors who sell them in plastic bags and imposing fines on them.
In Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region, vendors were ordered to sell food, vegetables, meat, and fish wrapped in banana leaves on Sundays and Wednesdays. However, some vendors have reported that since early July, those who do not comply with this order have been arrested and fined 10,000 kyats.
A woman over 30 years old from Pathein Township shared her experience, saying, "While I was holding a plastic bag, four or five people surrounded me and demanded to know the vendor's location. They threatened to arrest me if I didn't comply, so I showed them the vendor. The girl who was selling bamboo shoots was fined 10,000 kyat."
According to some vendors who had to pay fines, they reported that municipal employees, dressed in civilian clothes, were stationed at the entrances of the market. They would stop individuals carrying plastic bags, demand them to disclose the vendors from whom they made purchases, and then impose fines accordingly.
A vendor over 50 years old commented, "They claim they don't want to arrest us, but they do so because their superiors instructed them to. Their words and actions are inconsistent. If only a few people are caught, they wait until the market closes and then create disturbances."
Some vendors are criticizing the Military Council's instruction to pack with banana leaves on Sundays and Wednesdays, arguing that it may not be a genuine effort to reduce plastic usage and prevent environmental damage. Instead, they suspect that the directive could be more of a superstitious ritual aimed at warding off bad luck.
"It's not for any specific reason. They do it to ward off bad luck. The day for the banana leaves is Thursday. Hence, they were instructed to pack and sell them on Sunday and Wednesday. It's believed to keep Min Aung Hlaing safe," clarified an astrology hobbyist from Pathein Township.
The arrests were initially made for only a few hours at the beginning of July, but the vendors reported that strict arrests have been consistently enforced since the second week of July.
"You don't have to go to the office to pay the fine. They demand immediate payment on the spot. They don't issue any receipts. You won't have earned ten thousand as a vendor for the whole day. However, you have to pay the fine to avoid being arrested. Now, you have to buy banana leaves," explained a vegetable vendor.
In addition, a person close to the municipality stated, "We are compelled to find 3 million kyat from all markets per month."
A person close to the Township Development Committee also disclosed that at least five vendors were ordered to be arrested in a market on days designated for selling only with banana leaves.
In Pathein Township, besides Shwe Pyi Thar Market and Myoma Market, there are approximately 8 markets in the wards approved by the Development Committee.
