The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is considering a grant of around Tk120 crore to modernise waste management in Chattogram, including the supply of more than 50 modern waste collection vehicles and equipment for landfill operations.
The proposed assistance would also support the construction of a modern sanitary landfill to increase the city’s waste disposal capacity and establish an environmentally sustainable waste management system.
The development was discussed at a meeting between a JICA delegation and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Administrator Sahadat Hossain at the city corporation’s office on Wednesday.
The meeting was informed that the Japanese government had approved a feasibility study for the proposed grant project. A team of experts from JICA headquarters is scheduled to visit Chattogram in December to assess the requirements and evaluate the project’s viability.
A final decision on the grant will depend on the findings of the feasibility study.
A major component of the proposed initiative is the construction of a new sanitary landfill to address the city’s growing waste management challenges.
The CCC informed the meeting that it had already acquired 28 acres of land in the Fateyabad-Nandirhat area, south of the University of Chittagong, for the proposed facility. The land comprises two adjoining plots measuring 18 acres and 10 acres.
Hideki Osawa, senior representative of JICA Bangladesh, said the agency’s technical assistance team was already working with the CCC to prepare the design and bill of quantities (BoQ) for the proposed landfill.
He said the initiative aimed to expedite the preparation and finalisation of the Development Project Proforma (DPP), paving the way for construction of the new facility.
Expressing gratitude for JICA’s continued cooperation Sahadat Hossain assured the delegation that the city corporation would provide all necessary support for the feasibility study and subsequent implementation of the project.
He also sought JICA’s technical assistance to improve the management and operational efficiency of the city’s existing landfill sites, alongside the proposed construction of a new facility.
Emphasising the need for a comprehensive transformation of the city’s waste management system, he said adequate infrastructure and modern technologies were essential to making waste collection and disposal more efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable.
The meeting was attended by CCC Chief Cleaning Officer Captain Shamim Mohammad Khan, Chief Engineer Md Anisur Rahman, JICA Bangladesh Programme Manager Md Abdullah Bin Hossain and members of the JICA expert team, including Takatoshi Arai, Hirofumi Miyoshi, Satoshi Higashinakagawa and Engineer Golam Sarwar.
