While authorities in Bangladesh have shown increasing concern over environmental issues, including the preservation of St. Martin’s Island, another alarming crisis remains largely unaddressed. If immediate steps are not taken, Bangladesh could face a severe environmental disaster by 2041.

According to environmental experts, by that year, the country’s waste production is expected to reach a staggering 142,322 tons per day, surpassing landfill capacity and exacerbating pollution. This will pose a severe threat to public health, contribute to rising cases of dengue and other diseases, and worsen urban challenges such as water stagnation and blocked sewerage systems.

Experts highlight that improving the current solid waste management system is one of the primary challenges for most municipalities in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka. Currently, large quantities of solid waste in Dhaka are being dumped at both informal and formal yet unsanitary sites, endangering public health and the ecological environment. Since the current system mainly relies on landfilling and open dumping without source separation at the household level, a new integrated waste management system is urgently needed. Such a system should align with the legal framework for waste management while addressing the city’s specific needs.

Research based on secondary data analysis and literature reviews suggests that only an integrated approach – starting with source segregation and extending to composting organic waste – can be an effective solution.

Additionally, producing refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from non-compostable, high-calorific-value waste can significantly reduce the city’s landfill burden.

In 2020, Bangladeshi authorities initiated plans to install two waste-to-energy (WTE) power plants in Dhaka, utilizing daily waste........

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