Savar CETP reforms revisited amid long-standing issues
Bangladesh commerce and industries minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said the government will address deficiencies at the central effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate.
Speaking after a meeting with tannery owners and company officials during a visit to the estate, Mr Muktadir said the leather sector in Bangladesh had failed to reach its potential because of the way the industry was relocated from Hazaribagh and because of years of mismanagement.
He said the CETP currently treats between 14,000 and 18,000 cubic metres of waste, although volumes can rise to around 45,000 cubic metres during the Eid-ul-Azha period.
According to the minister, the government is considering allowing larger tanneries to establish their own effluent treatment plants (ETPs), while an EU-supported study is also examining how the CETP’s capacity and efficiency can be improved. An Italian company is expected to submit its report within the next one or two weeks.
Managing director of Dhaka Tannery Industrial Estate Waste Treatment Plant Company Md Golam Shahnewaz said the CETP still suffers from several design flaws, including the absence of a central sedimentation system, tertiary treatment facilities and a chrome recovery system.
However, promises to resolve problems at the Savar CETP are not new. Since the relocation of tanneries from Hazaribagh, government officials and industry representatives have repeatedly said upgrades, management changes and technical corrections would improve the system’s performance, while many of the same concerns over capacity and functionality continue to be raised.
