[object Object]

The relocation of tanneries from Dhaka's Hazaribagh area to the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate has successfully reduced pollution in the Buriganga River but has transferred substantial environmental burdens to the Dhaleshwari River, according to an impact evaluation report by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).

Local fishermen, like 52-year-old Aslam Uddin, describe a stark contrast between the past and present of the Dhaleshwari River. Previously teeming with fish such as Air, Rui, and Katla, his livelihood has been decimated since 2017 when the Savar estate began discharging waste. He now earns only Tk 100 to Tk 150 a day, often returning empty-handed, with the few fish caught being unfit for consumption due to chemical stench.

The IMED report confirms these accounts, noting that the Dhaleshwari River's water has turned black, foul odors have intensified, aquatic life has declined, and air pollution has increased around the industrial estate. The report highlights that Bangladeshi tanneries use excessive groundwater and generate vast amounts of wastewater. The Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Savar, designed to handle this waste, has an installed capacity of only 25,000 cubic meters per day, which is insufficient for the volume generated, especially during peak seasons.

Consequently, the CETP is failing to operate effectively, and its treated effluent does not meet the discharge standards set by the Department of Environment. The report also points out that most Bangladeshi tanneries lack Leather Working Group certification, hindering their global competitiveness. The relocation project, intended to create a planned industrial zone and mitigate Hazaribagh's pollution, has instead created a new environmental hotspot in Savar.

“

The leather industry is growing, but poor people like us are left with empty stomachs.