Dhaka Leaders Push Integrated Plan to Tackle Mounting Waste Crisis
Bangladesh faces a critical challenge in managing the increasing volume of solid waste it generates daily. To confront this pressing issue, a key national seminar was held on Monday in Dhaka, gathering experts and senior officials. The event, hosted at the Department of Environment auditorium in Agargaon, aimed to promote a unified, effective strategy for waste management, marking World Environment Day 2026.
The seminar highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated national effort to handle solid waste across the country. It was jointly organized by the Department of Environment and the WaterAid Bangladesh–Swisscontact Bangladesh consortium. Support for the event came from the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, underscoring its international significance.
Mohammad Navid Safiullah, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, attended as the Chief Guest. He underscored that solid waste management has grown from a national concern into a global challenge. Mr. Safiullah pointed out that Bangladesh has the necessary laws and institutional structures, but effective coordination and strong engagement from all stakeholders are still missing. He urged the organization of a larger national workshop, involving political leaders and relevant national-level stakeholders, to create a detailed roadmap for waste management, particularly addressing plastic pollution.
Md Ziaul Haque, Additional Director General of the Department of Environment, chaired the seminar. He emphasized that a lasting solution for environmentally damaging plastic waste requires the full implementation of the “3R” strategy: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Mr. Haque stressed that achieving this goal depends on the coordinated participation of all relevant groups, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, development partners, the private sector, and local communities.
The seminar featured several important presentations and discussions. Partha Hefaz Shaikh, Director of Programmes and Policy Advocacy for WaterAid Bangladesh, delivered the welcome remarks, setting the stage for the discussions. Saief Manzoor-Al-Islam, Team Leader for GO4IMPact from the WaterAid Bangladesh–Swisscontact Bangladesh consortium, provided the keynote presentation, offering valuable insights. Syed Ahmed Kabir, Deputy Director at the Department of Environment, presented a paper detailing the legal frameworks, institutional coordination, and stakeholder involvement in solid waste management.
A lively panel discussion brought together leading figures, including academics, environmental engineers from the United Nations, and representatives from the banking sector. Bidowra Tahmin Khan, Team Leader for the InSPIRE project at Swisscontact Bangladesh, concluded the thematic discussion by summarizing its findings and outlining practical steps forward. Partha Hefaz Shaikh formally closed the seminar with a vote of thanks.
