Korean Collaboration for Cleaner Landfills in Bangladesh
South Korea’s Sudokwon Landfill Management Corporation (SLC) has expressed keen interest in providing technical assistance to improve Bangladesh's waste management system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the establishment of modern sanitary landfills. The proposal aims to phase out existing open dumping sites across the country using advanced landfill technologies.
On Tuesday, July 8, an expert delegation from SLC met with Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, at the Bangladesh Secretariat. During the meeting, the delegation presented a detailed proposal to rehabilitate and close two existing dumping sites in Chattogram and set up a modern sanitary landfill facility. They also proposed implementing the project through a combination of Korean environmental ministry grants and concessional loans.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mohammad Touhidul Islam, Chief Executive Officer of Chattogram City Corporation, Joint Secretary of the Environment Ministry Md. Rezaul Karim, and SLC Director Seok Woo Jung, among other officials from both countries.
“Ensuring safe, hygienic, and environmentally friendly waste management is a priority for the government,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan. “To modernize landfill operations, we must implement advanced systems for waste segregation, recycling, and material recovery, and secure safer work environments for waste collectors.”
In response, the Korean delegation expressed optimism that the closure and rehabilitation of the two Chattogram dumping sites could be completed within 12 to 18 months. They added that a 20-year post-closure monitoring period would follow, with the possibility of converting the rehabilitated areas into public parks five years after stabilization, depending on land conditions.
The delegation emphasized the importance of integrating informal waste collectors into the new system, noting this would improve working conditions and enhance efficiency in recovering recyclable materials.
According to meeting sources, the Korean side urged the Bangladeshi government to send a formal request and relevant project documents promptly to facilitate financial support. They also expressed their intent to share the operational model and expertise of the Sudokwon landfill—one of the world’s largest and most advanced.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to building a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable waste management system in Bangladesh through deeper bilateral cooperation.
