A nearly Tk3 crore integrated solid and human waste management plant in Sundarganj municipality in Gaibandha has remained idle for a year after handover, leaving waste piling up in a residential area of Mirganj Bazar and raising environmental concerns.
The Department of Public Health Engineering handed over the plant to the municipality on 18 February 2025 after completing construction under a water supply, faecal sludge management and environmental sanitation project, according to municipal sources.
Built at a cost of Tk29,843,161 on 2.1 acres of land, the facility was designed to manage around two tonnes of waste generated daily in the 6.5-square-kilometre municipality, home to 17,168 people. Construction began in February 2023.
Despite having five CNG-run auto vans, two mini trucks and two tankers for waste transport, the municipality has failed to operationalise the plant fully, citing staff shortages. As a result, waste has been stockpiled and in some cases burnt in a low-lying area nearby, locals said.
A visit to the plant found the infrastructure ready for producing potable water from human waste through a multi-stage filtration system using stone and coarse sand tanks. Another unit has been prepared to produce organic fertiliser by separating metal, plastic and biodegradable waste before processing decomposed and dried sludge.
Residents said the plant was operated on a trial basis for a few days but has since remained closed. They alleged that accumulated waste is being burnt, spreading smoke and foul odour in surrounding neighbourhoods.
“The plant was meant to protect the environment, but now waste is being burnt here,” said local resident Sharif Mia. “The smoke is making it difficult to breathe, especially for children and the elderly.”
Student Zainal Abedin said foul smells disrupt his daily commute to school and urged authorities to start the plant without delay.
Auto van driver Mohsin Ali said the plant had been partially operated initially but was shut due to a lack of manpower. “We collect waste with five CNG vans, but only one driver is available for the other vehicles. So household collection has been reduced, and only town and market waste is being brought,” he said, adding that excess waste is now being burnt.
Upazila Department of Public Health Engineering Sub-Assistant Engineer Md Khokon Rana said the plant was handed over in February 2025 but had to be overseen by his office due to staff shortages at the municipality. “We have even paid salaries during this period. Organic fertiliser was produced experimentally, but it is now stopped,” he said.
Sundarganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Iffat Jahan Tuli said the plant could not be fully launched due to manpower constraints and assured that a decision on its operation would be taken after the election in consultation with the relevant committee.
