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DHAKA, Dec 29 (AFP) - Bangladesh's New Year resolution is to crack down on the crime, drugs and pollution blighting the country, government officials said Saturday.

"The different ministries have undertaken such programmes from the new year as they are what the residents want tackled most urgently," one official said.

The police have issued a list of top criminals offering rewards ranging between 50,000 taka (877 dollars) and 100,000 taka (1,754 dollars) for information leading to their arrests.

Media reports said the government had sought the help of Interpol to track down those criminals who have fled the country.

Extra police have been deployed in this crowded capital of 10 million people to curb muggings, which have led to the lynching of at least 10 alleged criminals over the past weeks.

In the latest lynching Friday, two alleged muggers were killed by a mob in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, the Independent newspaper reported.

Officials said that renewed efforts had also been made to track down drug runners as many crimes were linked to drug abuse.

Meanwhile, residents and environmentalists have welcomed a ban on the use of plastic bags in the new year.

The ban is intended to curb rampant pollution in the country, which officials say uses 100 million plastic bags each day.

"Those found using polythene bags from January 1, 2002, will be punished," environment minister Shahjahan Siraj said Friday during a tour of markets in Dhaka markets as part of his campaign against polythene.

Alternative paper and jute bags were being made available at all markets, he said. 

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