Dhaka: Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir today told parliament that the government planned to promote expanded reuse of industrial byproducts through their conversion into commercially viable products as part efforts to promote sustainable industrialization.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, various state-owned industries have already been utilizing industrial byproducts and exploring new opportunities to add value to such byproducts using modern technologies and new investments. This was highlighted by the minister in response to a starred question from Khelafat Majlis lawmaker Mohammad Abul Hasan (Sylhet-5).
Operational sugar mills under Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) have been supplying their ‘molasses’ byproduct to the state-owned Carew Distillery to manufacture alcohol and domestic and foreign liquor alongside other value-added products for an extended period. Furthermore, the Carew Sugar Mill produces bio-fertilizer from press mud, another byproduct.
Muktadir informed the House that feasibility studies are currently underway to upgrade Chuadanga’s Carew Distillery and North Bengal Sugar Mills Limited in Natore into modern, diversified, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable agro-industrial enterprises. The government awaits the study findings to initiate projects for these two state-owned commercial entities with plans to produce various reusable products from industrial byproducts.
Initiatives are also being taken at Savar Tannery Industrial Estate under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to encourage private entrepreneurs to manufacture value-added products from tannery wastes. A Chinese factory named ‘ZW Animal Protein’ has commenced operations, producing protein powder from chrome shaving dust and gelatin from raw leather cuttings. Plans are also in place to produce tallow from tannery fleshing waste.
Additionally, tiles have been produced on an experimental basis from sludge generated by the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at the tannery estate, which have been installed within the treatment plant premises. The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC)-run plants generally reuse their byproducts as raw materials in the production processes of the respective plants.
The government is committed to promoting resource efficiency, waste minimization, and circular industrial practices through the effective utilization of industrial byproducts, as emphasized by the minister.