Waste to Wealth: Government Eyes Private Sector Partnership to Tackle Pollution
The government is interested in working jointly with the private sector to reduce environmental pollution in the country and transform waste into resources.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo made the remarks on Monday evening, 30 March, at the closing session of a workshop held at the Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel in the capital.
He said that through coordinated initiatives, all types of waste, including plastic, can be converted into resources, which would play a significant role in environmental protection and economic development in the country.
The workshop, titled “Decarbonizing Bangladesh’s Plastic Waste: Innovative Solutions for the Circular Economy,” was organized by Bangladesh Petrochemical Company Limited (BPCL).
He noted that air and water pollution in Bangladesh have reached alarming levels, with the impact being most severe in urban areas.
He further stated that since assuming responsibility, discussions have been held daily with environmental experts on various forms of pollution—air, water, and lake pollution—and ways to reduce them are being explored. However, the reality is that although the country has numerous environmental laws, their effective implementation remains a major challenge.
Referring to plastic pollution in his speech as the chief guest, the adviser said that the problem cannot be solved solely through bans, as plastic is deeply integrated into daily life. Instead, the crisis must be addressed through the development of recycling systems and new innovations.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s progress in recycling plastic bottles, Abdul Awal Mintoo said that more initiatives are needed to recycle plastic bags and other materials.
He added that approximately 6,000 tonnes of solid waste are generated daily in city corporations across the country, a large portion of which is burned at designated sites, increasing suffering for nearby residents. The government is working on the potential to convert this waste into fuel or organic fertilizer so that it becomes an economic resource rather than an environmental hazard.
He also mentioned that Bangladesh has already reduced its import dependency in the ready-made garments sector. Previously, 83 percent of raw materials had to be imported, but this has now declined to around 40–45 percent. Similarly, emphasis is being placed on increasing the use of domestic raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry, where currently about 70 percent of raw materials are imported.
Emphasizing public-private partnership, he said that it is not possible for the government alone to manage everything, and therefore greater involvement of the private sector is necessary. The government will provide the required support and cooperation in this regard.
He further noted that changing long-established systems cannot be achieved overnight and requires time and coordination. However, he expressed plans to work more closely with the private sector in the future.
At the workshop, a presentation on transforming waste into resources was delivered by BPCL Managing Director and CEO Khadem Mahmud Yusuf. Among the discussants were Additional Secretary Dr. Fahmida Khanam and UNO PS Country Manager Sudhir Murali Dharan.
DBTech/IH/MUM/OR
