Dhaka:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged support for a new technology that aims to convert waste into fuel oil, potentially reducing Bangladesh's reliance on imported energy sources.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Prime Minister's assurance came during a briefing by a team of researchers led by Professor Dr. Md Khalequzzaman from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) at his office in Tejgaon. The technology uses hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to transform human waste, sewage treatment plant waste, kitchen waste, and agricultural residues into fuel oil.
The research team has been working on the technology for approximately a decade and has achieved a biocrude yield of 50-55 percent in laboratory tests. They have also made advances in producing biocrude with a high diesel content.
Plans are underway to establish a pilot plant capable of processing one to three tonnes of waste daily. This pilot will evaluate the technology's efficiency, production costs, and commercial viability, with an estimated project cost of Tk 100-120 crore.
Researchers believe that if developed for commercial-scale production, the technology could replace about 10-15 percent of imported crude oil, saving foreign currency equivalent to Tk 6,500-13,000 crore annually. However, these estimates will require validation through extensive technical and economic assessments.
In addition to energy savings, the researchers highlighted the technology's potential to reduce environmental pollution, improve waste management, and foster the development of a domestic fuel industry. The Prime Minister assured the researchers of the government's cooperation in advancing the project.
The briefing was attended by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Mahmood Tuku, State Minister Anindya Islam Amit, University Grants Commission member Professor Abdullah Al Mamun, KUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Masud, and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Chairman Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.