The country’s first integrated waste management plant was launched in Jashore with the dream of converting waste into a resource. But due to mismanagement and a lack of necessary machinery, that dream of the Jashore municipal residents has now turned into misery. Built in 2018 on 13.25 acres of land in Jhumjhumpur at a cost of nearly BDT 500 million, this plant is failing to yield its desired benefits. The plant has collapsed due to a lack of proper operation. Household waste is consequently accumulating in the alleyways of the city, which has now become a burden for the citizens. Residents of the plant area are spending their days facing extreme health risks due to the foul odour and dirty water. The municipal residents are angered by the failure to reap the benefits of the project.

In 2019, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated this modern plant of the Jashore Municipality. Its main objective was to keep the entire city clean and regularly produce organic fertiliser, biogas and electricity from the collected waste. The plan was to bring waste not only from Jashore Municipality but also from neighbouring Jhikargacha Municipality and nearby areas for processing here. There was even a plan to supply biogas produced from septic tank waste commercially to households via pipelines.

But within a year of its launch, its main activities came to a halt. Stagnation has now set in over time in this project that had shown so much promise of hope. Only organic fertiliser is currently produced on a limited scale, while biogas and electricity production remain completely shut down. As a result, piles of garbage are accumulating in the alleyways of the entire Jashore city, and new dumping grounds are forming next to important locations.

Because the raw garbage of the plant is not properly processed and sorted, the inner part of the plant has itself transformed into a massive dumping ground. Local residents are facing the worst suffering and extreme health risks as a result.

Humayun Kabir, a resident of the Jhumjhumpur waste plant area, said, “Due to the improper waste utilisation, the plant inside has turned into a dumping ground. When it rains, that water enters the neighbouring areas. The toxic and dirty water is polluting the area and spreading various diseases as well. Besides, there is the foul odour. It has become difficult to live in the area.”

Jashore Municipality’s total earnings so far from this project, built with a massive investment of funds, amount to BDT 1.5 million. To overcome continuous losses and operational crises, the plant was leased to private organisations over the past few years. Most recently, in 2022, a private organisation named “The Skate Limited” was given the operating responsibility of the plant for 20 years. But even that did not change the management inefficiency of this plant.

The organisation stated that about 80 tons of waste are brought into the plant daily. But due to a lack of modern segregation machinery and complexities in waste separation, they can process only 15 percent of the collected waste each day.

Md Sohel Reza, in-charge of the waste management plant, said, “Our plant has the capacity to sort 40 tons of garbage daily. But in the absence of a modern segregation machine, we can only sort 10-15 percent of the garbage each day. A massive pile of raw garbage is accumulating as a result. Production is now possible on an average of only 12 days a month. But if we get the necessary segregation machines, it’s possible to run the machines over the month and establish this plant as a role model for waste management across the entire country.”

Mir Shahe Alam, state minister for LGRD and Co-operatives, recently inspected the plant. Witnessing the dilapidated state of the plant during his visit, he expressed anger toward the Jashore municipal authorities and assured that it would be restored to full capacity soon.

SM Sharif Hassan, executive engineer of the Municipality, said, “This project is now somehow limping along. To solve the problems, the matter has already been informed to the relevant ministry. We’ve also held a few meetings. The concerned ministry has also mentioned various initiatives to speed it up. All problems of the plant will be resolved soon, and this institution will return to full strength.”