A lingering crisis in Bagerhat municipality
The Bagerhat municipality has a nagging problem on its hands, and it is one for which it can only blame itself. According to a report, anyone entering the city is inevitably welcomed by the unsightly and foul-smelling piles of garbage lining the roadside, thanks to the municipality which has been discarding them there for a long time. The problem is exacerbated during the monsoon season when garbage flows into the nearby canal and obstructs its passage, causing contaminated water to flood the area. Worryingly still, improper disposal of waste on open grounds has been common throughout the municipality. Besides causing discomfort to commuters and pedestrians, the problem has been responsible for driving off many residents as well.
The question is, why is this dire state being allowed to persist year after year? Apparently, a multi-crore project was initiated in 2019 to establish a waste management facility on the municipal dump site in question. But its construction remains incomplete even after nearly five years. The authorities say they plan to set up a modern waste management system as part of a Tk 35 crore project that includes recycling waste into fuel oil and fertilisers. But such promises remain hollow without any tangible progress on the ground.
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The Bagerhat municipality is not alone when it comes to waste mismanagement by municipalities and city corporations. Often, far from setting examples to foster responsible waste disposal habits among residents, and in the absence of designated dumping grounds and a proper waste management system, many are themselves disposing waste haphazardly. We have seen this in Mymensingh's Trishal upazila where the absence of a fixed spot turned the banks of Sutia River into a garbage dump for municipality workers. In Dhaka, we have seen city authorities allowing disposal of untreated waste into rivers. The environmental ramifications of such practices cannot be overstated.
We, therefore, urge the municipal authorities to treat waste management with the seriousness that it deserves. They all must prioritise proper disposal and recycling of waste as a fundamental public service.
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