Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, or BAPA, called for waste to be treated as a resource, energy source and economic opportunity rather than a burden at a seminar at the National Press Club’s Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall on August 9. Speakers said Bangladesh needs integrated, low-cost and locally manageable solutions for municipal waste management. The seminar was chaired by BAPA President Professor Dr Nur Mohammad Talukdar.

In the keynote paper, waste-management specialist Dr Nasir Uddin Khan said the existing system is largely based on collection, transport and dumping, leaving recycling, resource recovery and energy generation opportunities underused. Large volumes of waste end up in open spaces, wetlands and water bodies, increasing pressure on the environment and economy. He cited methane emissions, pollution of rivers and water bodies, waterlogging, air pollution, dengue and other public-health risks.

Speakers stressed simple technology, domestic investment and local participation. A Dhaka North City Corporation official said its waste-to-energy project could receive 3,000 tonnes of waste daily when fully operational and could generate 42 to 45 megawatts of electricity. BAPA also called for a national roadmap for overall waste management.