The Bangladesh government has announced its plans to generate electricity from waste material for the first time, aiming to reduce power shortages and transform waste into a resource.
The first such power plant is set to begin construction in Aminbazar landfill, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expected to inaugurate the work on July 20, Local Government Minister Md Tajul Islam said on Thursday at a preparatory meeting for the plant.
Also present at the meeting were State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, Local Government Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim and other senior officials from the Dhaka North City Corporation and the Local Government Division.
Daily power generation
The LGRD minister said the waste-to-energy plant, set to commence production in October 2025, is expected to generate 42.5 megawatts of electricity daily from 3,000 tons of mixed waste, and the produced electricity will be purchased by the Bangladesh Power Development Board for 25 years at a contracted price.
Md Tajul Islam further explained that the decision was made to eradicate waste through electricity generation using incineration methods to keep the environment clean and pleasant.
“The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), the Local Government Division and the Power Development Board are jointly working on this initiative,” he said.
China Machinery Engineering Corporation will be involved in the incineration plant for electricity generation as a sponsor, he added.
The LGRD minister further said that the project cost is estimated to be $300 million and is set to be completed within the next 24 months.
He also said the DNCC provided 30 acres of land for the construction of the power plant.
The site will receive a daily supply of 3,000 tons of waste at no charge, he added.
Mentioning that this incineration method of electricity generation will not have adverse effects on the environment and will be less costly than diesel production, the minister hinted that similar plants will be constructed in other city corporations as well.
Referring to the concept and experience of generating electricity from waste as completely new for Bangladesh, Tajul Islam emphasized that there is no alternative to such projects for technological advancement.
“Through this project, not only will our waste be eliminated, but we will also be able to produce a crucial resource like electricity, which will partially meet our growing electricity demand,” he said.
