Dhaka : Fashion and handicrafts retailer Aarong has earned nearly BDT 3 crore from paper bag sales in seven months after discontinuing free shopping bags as part of an environmental initiative.

The information was disclosed at a press conference held at BRAC Centre in the capital on May 10.

According to the company, from September 2025 to March 2026, Aarong sold more than 2.3 million paper bags, generating around BDT 2.9 crore in revenue.

Officials said, the move significantly reduced unnecessary bag usage. Compared to the same period a year earlier, nearly 4.7 million fewer bags were used, which the company estimates helped save around 6,000 trees.

Aarong said part of the income from bag sales will be spent on environmental and social development projects. These include distributing tree saplings among ultra-poor women under BRAC programs, supporting groundwater restoration in the Barind region, and expanding small urban forests under its "Mission Green" initiative using the Japanese Miyawaki method.

Managing Director Tamara Hasan Abed said the initiative aims to encourage customers to return to the habit of carrying reusable bags and reduce packaging waste.