In the bustling streets of Dhaka, where piles of plastic, paper, and textile waste once signalled urban chaos, a quiet revolution is underway.

Recycling in Bangladesh is no longer just about managing trash –it’s a lifeline for thousands, a pathway out of poverty, and a cornerstone of sustainable growth.

From waste pickers in Mirpur to innovators in Jamalpur, the recycling sector is transforming lives and redefining the nation’s economic landscape.

In cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna, the recycling industry is a beacon of hope for low-income communities.

Over 700,000 people, many from marginalised backgrounds, earn a living as waste pickers, sorters, and aggregators. For them, trash is treasure.

A single day’s haul of plastic or metal can fetch Tk 300-800, enough to feed a family. “The work is hard, and the smell is ??????, but it feeds my family,” says Fatema Bibi, a plastic sorter in Dhaka. She dreams of gloves and proper shelters to make her job safer.

In Narayanganj and Gazipur, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are turning waste into opportunity. Plastic shredding units, paper mills, and textile recycling plants employ thousands in roles like machine operators and transporters, requiring minimal education but offering steady wages. Anwara Begum, a worker at a Gazipur textile recycling plant, shares, “I used to be a day labourer with no security. Now, I earn Tk 12,000 a month, and my children go to school. This job changed my life.”

As the world’s second-largest garment exporter, Bangladesh generates mountains of textile waste. The rise of circular fashion is turning this challenge into opportunity.

Start-ups and foreign investors are collaborating on projects like the Circular Apparel Innovation Hub, which aims to create 50,000 jobs by 2030, primarily for women, through textile waste recycling. Sorting, fabric regeneration, and chemical recycling are opening new career paths for those previously excluded from formal employment.

In Dhaka’s Mirpur and Jatrabari, localized “kachra” collection centres serve as vital hubs, employing sorters, balers, and transporters.

Hasibur Rahman, a collection centre manager in Jatrabari, says, “We employ 15 people daily, including women who sort plastic and paper. Most are sole earners for their families.” For Rina Akter, a waste sorter in Mirpur, the weekly pay from these centres offers stability she never had as a domestic worker.

Beyond urban centres, rural innovators are redefining potential of recycling.

In Sakhipur, Tangail, a BUET student’s small-scale plant processes human waste and kitchen garbage from 50,000 people into organic compost for agriculture and rooftop gardening.

In Jamalpur, Toufiqul Rahman’s “polyfuel” initiative melts single-use plastics into petrol, diesel, and kerosene using local technology. Approved for nationwide rollout, this project promises jobs and cleaner communities.

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is also stepping up, implementing waste-free projects in Purbachal, Uttara, and Jhilmil with modern sewerage systems and transfer stations. These initiatives show that waste management, when viewed as a business, can be both profitable and sustainable. Experts like Dr Salma Akter from BRAC University advocate for more transfer stations to convert waste into resources, potentially transforming urban-rural linkages.

Despite its promise, the recycling sector faces hurdles. Informal workers, the backbone of the industry, often lack safety gear, health benefits, and job security.

Fatema Bibi’s plea for gloves highlights a broader need for better conditions. Dr Akter suggests formalizing informal work through cooperatives and municipal partnerships, which could boost incomes by 25% while improving environmental outcomes.

Inadequate infrastructure and limited access to advanced technologies also hinder progress. Yet, policy support, worker training, and investments in innovations like effluent treatment plants (ETPs)—now mandatory for certain industries—could unlock the sector’s full potential.

Sajid Rahman, a machine operator at a paper recycling unit, beams with pride: “I trained on the job and now supervise others. It’s honest work in a growing industry.”

As Bangladesh urbanises, its recycling sector stands as a model of sustainable development. It’s not just about cleaning streets—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and resilience. With the right investments, experts believe the industry could employ millions more, pulling families out of poverty while paving the way for a greener future.

From Anwara’s steady paycheck to Toufiqul’s polyfuel, Bangladesh is proving that trash can indeed become treasure.

Source: UNB