A Legal Analysis on Causes and Remedies of Inadequacy of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to Prevent Environmental Pollution in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, Public Interest Environmental Litigation (PIEL) has become the primary means of judicial enforcement of environmental protection regulations. The traditional theory that requires an aggrieved party to prove a personal legal damage before standing is granted has gradually been replaced by PIL, which is based on the constitutional wording of Article 102, which grants the Supreme Court, High Court Division, a broad power of review. The Bangladesh Supreme Court has brought about a paradigm shift towards a liberalised locus standi through a series of historic rulings that started in the mid-1990s and accelerated through the 2020s. These rulings allow public-spirited organizations and individuals to petition on behalf of those whose constitutionally guarantseed rights are threatened by environmental degradation. This article examines key court rulings, looks at the constitutional and statutory underpinnings of environmental PIEL in Bangladesh, and critically assesses the structural barriers that reduce its efficacy, such as the ongoing implementation gap, the underutilization of Environment Courts, and the procedural complexity of Continuing Mandamus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of Public Interest Environmental Litigation (PIEL) in reducing environmental contamination in Bangladesh using a qualitative content analysis approach. Secondary data came from government documents, books, journals, statutes, court rulings, and constitutions. To determine the role of PIEL in environmental governance, judicial activism, and environmental law enforcement in Bangladesh, pertinent articles were carefully chosen and subjected to thematic analysis. Finally, the article ends with suggestions for integrating PIL-generated standards into long-term administrative policy frameworks. It also examines the proposed 2026 Environment Police Unit as an additional enforcement tool.