DHAKA — Bangladesh is set to receive 42 megawatts (MW) of electricity from a Chinese waste-to-energy project at the Aminbazar landfill in Dhaka, with the government agreeing to purchase the power at Tk 25 per unit.
The project, being implemented by a Chinese company, aims to generate electricity from municipal waste and supply it to Bangladesh’s national power grid within the next 18 months.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam disclosed the plan on Thursday following a courtesy meeting between Local Government Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen at the Secretariat.
Shahe Alam said a formal tripartite agreement for the project is expected to be signed in Beijing on September 2. Agreements among the relevant parties have already been reached, while the final financing arrangement will be concluded among the investor bank, the project company and the concerned Bangladeshi authorities.
The state minister acknowledged that the electricity price would be relatively high compared with conventional power generation.
We will purchase electricity from them at Tk 25 per unit. It may appear expensive, but the benefits lie elsewhere, he said.
According to him, the project will help Bangladesh address the growing challenge of municipal waste management in Dhaka. The Chinese company will use the landfill to process waste, generate electricity and produce organic fertiliser from the waste residue.
The company will also pay monthly rent to the city corporation for using the landfill, while the Bangladeshi government will not have to make a direct investment in the project, Shahe Alam said.
He argued that the environmental and waste-management benefits could offset the relatively high cost of the electricity.
“Waste is a major burden for Dhaka and for the country. If they generate electricity from it and supply it to us, the price may seem high, but the environmental benefits will compensate for the cost in other ways,” he said.
The state minister also said China has expressed interest in developing an economic zone in Chattogram and upgrading Mongla Port. Discussions have also focused on strengthening connectivity between Mongla Port and Chattogram Port.
Shahe Alam said PowerChina, a major Chinese power and infrastructure company, has also approached Bangladesh over another potential waste-to-energy project.
“We have asked them to speed up work so that electricity can be generated from waste at the Dhaka South City Corporation landfill and supplied to the national grid,” he said.
The site could potentially generate another 40–50 MW of electricity every day, according to the state minister.
The projects reflect Bangladesh’s growing efforts to turn municipal waste into energy while addressing environmental challenges associated with rapidly expanding urban areas.
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