Dhaka South launches waste-for-groceries to clean up city streets

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Bidyanondo Foundation have launched a "Groceries in Exchange for Waste" programme, targeting the collection of one lakh kg of waste through 100 mobile campaigns over the next year.

The programme was inaugurated today (31 August) by Dhaka South Administrator Md Abdus Salam at a field adjacent to the Hazaribagh slum in Ward 55.

Following the inauguration, residents handed over various types of waste and collected essentials including rice, lentils, oil, salt, potatoes and tissues from temporary stalls.

Speaking at the event, Salam said active citizen participation was essential to building a clean city and that the programme could encourage people to dispose of waste properly.

"Dumping plastic and other waste into drains and canals obstructs water drainage and causes waterlogging. Disposing of waste at designated locations would help prevent waterlogging and protect the environment," he said.

A permanent stall will be set up in Gulistan within a week, while the Dhaka South plans to establish one in every ward within the next three to four months, the administrator said.

Bidyanondo Foundation Executive Director Jamal Uddin said the initiative aimed to make marginalised people partners in keeping the city clean rather than simply providing them with aid.

He said the foundation earned around Tk1 crore by selling plastic waste over the past two years, helping provide food to nearly four lakh people.

Hazaribagh modern slaughterhouse begins operations

On the same day, Salam inaugurated animal slaughtering at Dhaka South's Hazaribagh modern slaughterhouse.

He said the facility would help protect public health by allowing livestock experts or veterinary surgeons to inspect animals before hygienic, automated processing.

The facility has chilling and cold-storage systems and provisions to process blood, bones and hooves into fertiliser and animal feed. Hides can also be removed using modern equipment to preserve their market value.

Officials said an eco-friendly effluent treatment plant would treat blood and contaminated water, reducing foul odour and environmental pollution.

A sub-committee formed to operate the Hazaribagh and Kaptan Bazar modern slaughterhouses is temporarily collecting revenue from the facilities.

Under the city corporation's Model Tax Schedule and the Haat and Bazar (Establishment and Management) Rules 2025, the daily slaughtering fee is Tk25 for each goat or sheep and Tk100 for each cow or buffalo.

Slaughtering and meat processing at the Hazaribagh facility will take place daily from 4am to 6am.