Ctg municipalities struggle without landfills as waste piles up, health risks grow
32 tonnes of waste go uncollected daily and are dumped indiscriminately
Highlights:
- Most Chattogram municipalities lack landfills or secondary waste stations
- About 32 tonnes daily remain uncollected, dumped in open areas
- Poor waste handling spreads diseases like dengue, diarrhoea, typhoid
- Workers lack contracts, health checks, and protective safety equipment
- Several temporary or existing landfills lack environmental clearance
- Government plans modern, eco-friendly landfills but land approval delays persist
In Chattogram, waste management remains a growing concern as nine out of 14 municipalities lack a landfill, and 10 have no secondary waste management stations. Even existing facilities operate without environmental clearance.
Municipalities generate nearly 160 tonnes of waste daily, but only 128 tonnes are collected. The remaining 32 tonnes are dumped along roads, in open spaces, or at temporary local sites, often blocking drains and canals, causing foul odours and creating breeding grounds for germs and mosquitoes.
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Under the Local Government (Municipality) Act, 2009, waste management is a core municipal responsibility. Residents say unmanaged waste contributes to the spread of diseases such as diarrhoea, dengue, and typhoid, with children and the elderly most at risk.
Alok Pal, professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Chittagong University, said, "I don't think municipalities can collect as much waste as they claim. Even the waste they do collect is not handled systematically. Poor waste management is creating serious problems. The entire city has become like a dump, and conditions in rural areas are also worsening. This is causing diseases to spread quickly. The solution is to enforce government regulations and raise public awareness."
According to municipalities' responses to a Right to Information Act request, the annual budget for waste management is about Tk5 crore. A total of 427 collectors work to gather waste, but many lack written contracts and regular health check-ups. Essential equipment such as gloves, gumboots, masks, and helmets is limited. Waste collection relies on 120 vehicles, including tractors, vans, hand trolleys, and trucks.
Jamir Uddin, deputy director of the DoE Chattogram district office, told TBS, "Municipalities have rules for waste management. The Ministry of Local Government should ensure these rules are properly followed. If they are not, we will send a notice to the ministry."
Municipalities face unique challenges
Baraiyarhat municipality, established in 2000, still has no dumping station. Garbage piles along both sides of the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, causing daily stench for local businessmen and students, and occasional fires on the waste create accidents.
The municipality generates 40 tonnes of waste daily, of which only 30 tonnes are collected using three trucks and ten vans with 35 workers. Although 164.37 decimals of land were purchased in Purbo Hinguli, it is not yet operational as a landfill despite a separate budget allocation.
Mirsarai municipality produces six tonnes of waste daily, all collected by 20 collectors using two trucks, but it has no secondary station or landfill. Collectors do not have regular health check-ups. The annual budget is Tk17.5 lakh.
Qaiyum Uddin, executive officer of Mirsarai municipality, told TBS, "We burn some municipal waste along the roadside, but most is buried in pits at the foot of hills. The local government ministry plans to build permanent dumping stations for both Baraiyarhat and Mirsarai municipalities. Modern, environmentally friendly landfills will be constructed. Land verification is underway, and once suitable sites are found, construction will start soon."
Dohazari municipality generates three tonnes of waste daily, with only two tonnes collected. There are 10 collectors, none with written contracts. The municipality has one secondary station but no landfill, with an annual budget of Tk21 lakh.
Hathazari municipality produces 22 tonnes of waste daily, with 39 collectors without written contracts. The municipality has five secondary stations but no landfill. Its total budget is around Tk9.6 crore, though waste management funding remains insufficient.
Fatikchhari municipality generates five tonnes of waste daily, with 32 contracted collectors. It has seven secondary stations but no landfill, and only two trucks for transport. The annual budget is Tk10 lakh.
Boalkhali municipality produces 11–12 tonnes of waste daily, of which 8–10 tonnes are collected by 28 collectors using one truck. There is no secondary station or landfill. The budget is Tk19 lakh, and annual reporting and awareness programs are not conducted, as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2021.
Nazirhat municipality generates 0.9 tonnes of waste daily, collected by 16 collectors using three trucks. There is no secondary station, but a temporary landfill exists without a license or environmental clearance. The budget is Tk20 lakh.
Municipal Executive Officer Md Nurul Absar told TBS, "Securing land for the landfill takes time. We have informed the relevant authorities, and they said they will look into it."
Patiya municipality produces about 40 tonnes of waste daily, of which 32 tonnes are collected by 118 collectors using three trucks and 15 vans. There is a secondary station but no landfill, and the annual waste management report is not published.
Rangunia municipality generates three tonnes daily, with no secondary station. Waste is collected by 25 collectors using one truck, but overall management remains weak. The municipality has four landfills, none with environmental clearance.
Raozan municipality produces three tonnes of waste daily, all collected by 33 collectors using three trucks. A two-acre landfill exists but lacks environmental clearance. The annual budget is Tk1.17 crore.
Sandwip municipality does not collect waste regularly, though market waste is collected five times a week. There are seven collectors and two trucks, but no secondary station or landfill.
Satkania municipality produces seven tonnes of waste daily, with six tonnes collected by 35 collectors. There is one secondary station and a temporary 15-decimal landfill without environmental clearance. The annual budget is around Tk90 lakh.
Banshkhali municipality generates eight tonnes of waste daily, of which five tonnes are collected by 25 collectors. There are seven secondary stations and a 20-decimal landfill, also lacking environmental clearance. The annual budget is Tk32 lakh.
Chandanaish municipality produces seven tonnes of waste daily, with only three tonnes collected by 24 collectors using four trucks. There is no secondary station or landfill. The annual budget is Tk34 lakh.
Monowara Begum, director of local government for the Chattogram Division, told TBS, "Finding land for a landfill is challenging because it must meet many requirements. If a municipality has the capacity, it can select and build the landfill itself. If not, the local government ministry will provide support. We will help them with land or project-related needs as needed."
