FROM PAGE B1

Without a formal system, the vast majority of Bangladesh’s e-waste, laden with toxic materials like lead and mercury, is handled by the informal sector, leading to unsafe recovery practices that endanger workers and leak pollutants into soil and water.

This stands in contrast to the potential of formal recycling, which could prevent environmental damage and create a new, green industry.

Sumon Ahmed Sabir, president of the WEEE Society, said the first step to resolving the e-waste management crisis is collection. “But we lack an effective mechanism for it.”

“Secondly, the valuable components of e-waste are not being properly extracted. What we are essentially doing is exporting some parts, allowing foreign companies to profit, while we gain very little. Moreover, there is a serious lack of public awareness,” he added.

Sohel Ahmed, executive director at Vista Electronics Ltd, also noted that e-waste is not being managed under any clear framework. “When waste is removed, we don’t even know where it goes.”

Prof Khondaker Mohammod Shariful Huda of the Department of Geography and Environment at Jahangirnagar University identified batteries and IPS units as major sources of e-waste.

“There is no clear picture of how these are being disposed of or recycled. E-waste is contaminating our water bodies,” he added.

Mahmud Hossain, a commissioner at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, said, “In the telecom sector, the e-waste that is generated by networks is five percent, while the larger share of the e-waste is made up of discarded handsets. We have taken steps to address the network-related e-waste, but the discarded handsets need to be regulated.”

Also speaking at the event, Ahsan Sharif, director of public projects at Fiber@Home, suggested introducing incentives for those involved in the collection and recycling of e-waste.