Country's first biodrying plant being set up in Sylhet

The country's first 'biodrying plant' is being set up in Sylhet City Corporation (SCIC) as part of modern waste management. If this advanced technology plant is implemented, it will be possible to produce energy from waste in addition to bringing about a radical change in the city's waste management.

​A detailed discussion was held on the progress and working methods of this project at a meeting held at the Nagar Bhaban meeting room on Tuesday (June 22) afternoon.

​In his speech as the chairman, SCIC Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury said, "We want to set up this biodrying plant to modernize the city's waste management and make it environmentally friendly. It will play a helpful role in building a circular economy by converting waste into energy."

The meeting was attended by SCIC Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rezai Rafin Sarkar, Secretary Md. Ashiq Noor, Chief Engineer (Acting) Md. Ali Akbar, Chief Waste Management Officer Lt. Col. (Retd.) Mohammad Eklim Abdin, Executive Engineer (Electrical) Joydev Biswas and Executive Engineer (Mechanical) Mohammad Ullah were present.

​Also, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC Head of Geo Cycle Latifur Rahman, General Manager Sarkar Shoaib Ahmed and Business Development Manager Tamrin Chowdhury were present.

Experts said that biodrying is a state-of-the-art technology in waste management. Generally, urban waste contains about 70 percent organic matter and a lot of water. The conventional 'incineration' or waste-to-energy method is expensive and complex to process this wet waste. In biodrying technology, excess moisture in household waste, sewage sludge and agricultural waste is quickly dried using the natural metabolic heat of microorganisms and controlled airflow. As a result, the waste becomes suitable for use as fuel, which is very effective in the context of Bangladesh.