Bangladesh to generate electricity from waste

Publish: 10:17 PM, December 1, 2021 | Update: 10:17 PM, December 1, 2021

Shafiqul Islam (Jami)
Bangladesh will generate electricity from wastes. In this issue an agreement has been signed with a Chinese company to generate electricity from waste. This electricity will be generated by incineration method i.e. by burning waste. The 42.5 MW power plants will be set up at Amin Bazar in Dhaka. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in Bangladesh. On Wednesday (December 1), an agreement was signed between the local government department, power department, Dhaka North City Corporation and China Machinery Engineering Corporation to set up the power plant at hotel Sonargaon in the capital. The project will cost about 15 thousand 325 crore. This power plant will require three thousand tons of waste per day. The price of electricity per kilowatt will be 18.295 TK.

Local government minister Tajul Islam on the occasion said that if the incineration system i.e. the amount of garbage required for power generation by burning waste is provided, there will be no problem of dirt in the city. Electricity is being generated by maintaining the balance of the environment and ensuring health protection.

The Chinese company will start generating electricity within 18 months of the start of operations. All kinds of preparations have been instructed in this regard. He said the Chinese company would set up, operate and maintain the plant at its own risk. The City Corporation will provide the necessary land and regular waste. The power department will purchase the generated electricity.

The Minister said that not only Dhaka North City Corporation but also South City Corporation, Gazipur, Narayanganj and all city corporations of the country including Chittagong, divisional and district cities and even municipalities are working to generate electricity from waste. The divisional or district cities or municipalities which can supply 600 tons of garbage per day will be able to generate electricity directly from the waste in coordination with the power department.

He said that the process of power generation from the waste of those countries was observed by visiting different countries including Thailand, Singapore and India. Tajul Islam further said that incineration is the best way for Bangladesh to generate electricity by following the model followed by Japan and other European countries. This method does not harm the environment. Therefore, with the consent of the Prime Minister, it has been decided to generate electricity by burning waste.

Power Secretary Habibur Rahman Presided over the event and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, Senior Secretary for Local Government Helaluddin Ahmed and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jimming were present.