By Rita Bhowmick (Dhaka Bureau)
Despite having a dedicated regulatory framework since 2021, Bangladesh continues to lag behind in managing its skyrocketing electronic waste (e-waste), leaving millions of tons of hazardous materials completely outside formal oversight. Experts warn that this systemic failure not only triggers a severe environmental and public health crisis but also causes the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in recoverable resources every year.
The grim reality was highlighted on Monday (June 29) during an advocacy meeting titled ‘Current Status and Action Plan for E-Waste Management in Bangladesh.’ The event was organized by the rights organization VOICE in collaboration with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) in the capital city of Dhaka.
During the meeting, VOICE presented an assessment report evaluating the implementation of the E-Waste Management Rules, 2021. The findings revealed a glaring gap between official paperwork and actual ground realities. Although all assessed institutions were registered with the Department of Environment and maintained administrative transparency, their operational performance remained critically weak.
The report noted that only 22% of these institutions currently have a functioning “take-back” system, and an equally low percentage monitor hazardous risk criteria. Shockingly, not a single institution collected expired electronic goods or maintained proper storage and record-keeping systems during the last fiscal year.
A Staggering Economic Loss Amid Environmental Burdens
Bangladesh generates approximately 3 million metric tons of e-waste annually. However, less than 10% of this staggering volume is formally recycled. This institutional inertia results in an estimated annual loss of USD 200 million to USD 221 million in potential recoverable resources, which instead end up polluting local ecosystems.
‘Our assessment shows that while Bangladesh has made progress in establishing the necessary legal framework for e-waste management, its enforcement remains largely ineffective,’ said Bandhan Das of VOICE, while presenting the evaluation findings. He emphasized that without strict legal enforcement, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and efficient collection and monitoring mechanisms, the environmental goals of the 2021 regulations will remain unachieved.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, reiterated the organization’s long-standing dedication to this cause. “The formulation of the E-Waste Management Rules in 2021 was a crucial milestone. The most critical task now is to ensure its meaningful enforcement,” he stated.
The Paradox of Shared Burdens and Outsourced Value
The debate also focused on how e-waste intersects with global resource inequalities and local public health. Aminur Rasul of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) pointed out that e-waste is not merely a disposal issue but a massive challenge for resource management. If managed responsibly, it could actively generate economic value while shielding public health from toxic heavy metals.
Adding a global trade perspective, Akter Ul Alam, Founder of the Bangladesh We Society, highlighted a troubling structural paradox. ‘Many electronic goods and components imported into Bangladesh contain precious materials that have already been refined and recovered abroad. Consequently, the financial benefits of resource recovery remain overseas, while Bangladesh is left to bear the ultimate environmental burden at the end of the product’s life cycle,’ Alam explained.
Call for a Circular Economy and Climate Action
Emphasizing the human and ecological toll, Mosharrat Mahera, Deputy Director (Programs) at VOICE, urged that proper e-waste management must be elevated to a priority within the government’s climate action agenda. ‘This is a shared responsibility, and meaningful progress is impossible without coordinated cooperation among all stakeholders,’ she said.
The advocacy forum, attended by civil society leaders and journalists, concluded with a unanimous call for rigorous policy enforcement, enhanced coordination among state agencies, and greater investment in a true circular economy. Participants committed to pushing for a transition away from unsafe, informal dismantling practices toward an accountable, inclusive, and ecologically sustainable e-waste management ecosystem.
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The Writer:
Rita Bhowmick: Senior Journalist and Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
