Bangladesh is forfeiting more than $200 million in recoverable materials each year as inadequate recycling systems and weak enforcement leave millions of tonnes of discarded electronic products outside the formal waste management chain, according to a new assessment.
The findings, presented at a policy dialogue in Dhaka on Monday by digital rights research organisation Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE), estimate that the country generates around 3 million tonnes of electronic waste annually containing recoverable resources worth between $200 million and $221 million.
Yet less than 10 per cent of that waste is recycled, allowing valuable metals and components to go unrecovered while increasing environmental and public health risks, the organisation said.
The study also found that none of the entities registered with the Department of Environment (DoE) collected end-of-life electronic products during the last fiscal year, highlighting what researchers described as weak implementation of the Hazardous Waste (E-Waste) Management Rules, 2021.
The findings were unveiled at a discussion titled “Electronic Waste Management in Bangladesh: Reality and Way Forward,” organised by VOICE and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).
Musharrat Mahera, deputy director of VOICE, said Bangladesh’s mounting stock of obsolete electronic devices should be viewed as an economic resource rather than simply a waste problem.
“The country’s electronic waste contains recoverable resources worth an estimated $200 million to $221 million annually,” she said, adding that stronger collection and recycling systems could unlock significant economic value.
Experts at the event said clearer institutional responsibilities and stricter enforcement would be essential to building a functioning e-waste management system as the use of electronic devices continues to expand across the country.
Rowshan Mamtaz, a professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, called for a strategic national framework that clearly assigns responsibilities within the Department of Environment to improve oversight and coordination.
Zakir Hossain Khan, managing director and chief executive of Change Initiative, urged authorities to introduce a comprehensive tracking system for electronic products and encourage businesses to adopt circular economy practices that prioritise reuse, repair and recycling.
Tarit Kanti Biswas, a consultant on medical waste at the Directorate General of Health Services, said better primary data and coordinated action among government agencies, businesses and recyclers would be critical to improving the sector.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, called for a stronger institutional framework to transform electronic waste into a source of economic value while reducing environmental hazards.
Industry observers say Bangladesh’s e-waste challenge is likely to intensify as consumers replace electronic devices more frequently, driven by rapid technological advances, shorter product life cycles and the falling cost of new gadgets. Without a robust collection and recycling network, much of the embedded value in discarded electronics will continue to be lost while hazardous materials accumulate in the environment.
