ITN-BUET and CSIRS-UIU successfully conducted a three-day professional training on Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), to equip professionals including engineers, planners, academia and sanitation professionals with the knowledge and skills required for urban solid waste management.
The training brought together 24 participants from DPHE, LGED, Kushtia Municipality, BRAC, IWM, MIST, City University, DSK, Nippon Koei Bangladesh Limited (NKB), and Bangladesh Army. Over the three days, participants engaged in comprehensive learning experience covering waste generation and handling, recycling, resource recovery, management of plastic, electronic, medical, and hazardous waste, as well as social and financial aspects of SWM and city-level planning.
The training was commenced at UIU campus on 4 November 2025 and inaugurated by Dr. Md. Abul Kashem Mia, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of United International University (UIU) with the presence of Prof. Emeritus Dr. M. Rezwan Khan of UIU, Prof. Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET, and Prof. Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman, Director of CSIRS-UIU.
The resource persons shared their practical insights and experiences throughout the program. Eminent Sector Expert Prof. Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman delivered the introductory session, where Dr. Tariq Bin Yousuf, Former Additional Chief Engineer of DNCC, discussed solid waste generation, handling, and occupational health and safety. Mr. Iftekhar Enayetullah, Co-Founder and Director of Waste Concern, highlighted recycling, reuse, and resource recovery, linking waste management to circular economy principles. Dr. Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Director and National Project Director at DoE, addressed plastic waste management, while Prof. Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET, presented electronic waste management. Medical and hazardous waste management was covered by Mr. Mazharul Islam, Senior Program Coordinator of PRISM Bangladesh Foundation, and Alok Kumar Majumder, Director, Programmes and Operators of Red Orange explained the social and financial aspects of solid waste management. City-level planning for waste management was facilitated by Dr. Rumana Afrin of CSIRS-UIU through a groupwork session.
The learnings of the training was embraced with the field visit to the Neuroscience Institute at Agargoan, where participants observed microwave technology for medical waste treatment, and the Garbageman Value Addition Facility at Nishat Nagar, Bedibadh, Abdullahpur, where waste sorting to create market value and plastic recycling centre was visited. These visits provided practical exposure to complement the theoretical sessions and illustrated circular economy principles in action.
The closing ceremony was graced by Prof. Dr. Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of BUET, who urged participants to bring new ideas to solve the persistent challenges in waste collection, transfer, and disposal in urban areas. Dr. Mohammad Sufiullah Siddique Bhuiyan, Superintending Engineer of the Department of Waste Management, Dhaka South City Corporation, also shared insights from his extensive experience in urban waste management in Dhaka City.
