Bangladesh signed up to the 2.0 per cent reduction in carbon emission identified by the climate change agreement that was agreed to by the world. That is before the United States pulled out of it. It led Emmanuel Macron and a growing powerless Angela Merkel throwing their hands in the air in frustration but neither have since come up with alternatives sans the mighty United States.
The US was expected to commit the bulk of the funds in addressing climate change including the lowering of dependence on fossil fuels. Far from it, the country began releasing its vast reserves of shale oil to reduce dependence on OPEC, thereby precipitating carbon emissions.
Bangladesh too has not committed to wind and solar power and instead focused on the Rooppur nuclear power plant and keeping Barapukuria mining plant alive for coal extraction. Side by side while it works towards reducing river encroachment no stated plan exists for removing plastic and other wastes that are choking the rivers.
Waste management by itself is in a trying mess let alone separating different types of waste for recycling. China has recently refused to take on any further waste for recycling though Europe is close to self sufficiency with Norway having reached saturation point.
Plastic industries are as much a central industry for both large and small scale industries given the demand, but the absence of separate recycling remains a headache.
In spite of the ban on polythene the industry flourishes but no incentives are at hand to encourage recycling or proper disposal of the waste element of it.
This has resulted in clogged drains and a despicable dumping in all available water bodies, whatever are left of them. These, added to the industrial effluents allowed to be churned into water bodies, bode no well for supply of fresh water for pisciculture.
Municipality polls are always high on addressing the issue. By the time the next round comes we are told lack of funds or coordination is the cause for lack of action.
Rights groups are not strong enough to force the issue. With very existence at stake, waste management takes on an unfortunate back seat to all other more pressing needs.
Cleaning the river ways and preventing pollution of the rivers is not happening and so it's no surprise that waste management lands up in landfill, unplanned as it is.
A few years ago an organisation revealed itself to tackle the different wastes generated on a daily basis but with even the city corporation's waste management leaving too many questions than answers, it isn't a surprise that it too faded into oblivion.
mahmudrahman@gmail.com