Fire in garbage dump, suffering from toxic smoke

Two rotting bodies of dogs lie in close proximity, among various garbage including biryani packets, children’s toys, and chips packets. The stench is unbearable. Smoke is rising from the mountain-shaped pile of garbage. New fires are peeking out from some places. It is difficult to breathe in the smoke.

On February 25, from 12 noon to 2 pm, I saw such a situation when I went to the Matuail sanitary landfill (permanent place for dumping garbage) of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The sun was shining that day. A big fire broke out a few days ago. Although the fire was brought under control, the entire area is sweltering in the heat. In such an environment, two children were seen sitting next to a pile of garbage and collecting pieces of silver. Some people were carrying a van full of kachuri pana for cattle feed through the road inside the landfill. The kachuri pana was made in the dirty water around the landfill. A woman named Maisha was collecting various pieces of iron from the burnt garbage. She said that her eyes were swollen due to the smoke. She was having a headache.

This largest landfill in Bangladesh has been in the news since February 20. People are also talking about it on Facebook. People from Demra’s Matuail and surrounding areas have accused the landfill of setting fire to the waste. However, the DSCC is saying that the fire was not set, the heat of the sun and methane gas started the fire, which later spread. No matter how the fire started, the locals started a movement after the fire broke out. The authorities are hesitant about the proper management of the landfill. The landfill is becoming a major source of environmental pollution and methane gas emissions – this warning is not remembered by anyone for long.

There are two main landfills for waste management in Dhaka. One is in Matuail, the other in Aminbazar (North City Corporation). According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, about 6,250 metric tons of waste is generated in Dhaka city every day, which is disposed of in these two landfills.

• The landfill, established in 1989, currently covers 181 acres.
• Bloomberg reports that 4,000 kg of methane is emitted from here every hour.
• This amount of emissions is equivalent to driving about 190,000 regular cars.
• Fires break out repeatedly every year. Firefighters get sick while trying to put out the fires.

On the way back from Matuail Landfill, I spoke to Dhaka South City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Md. Zahirul Islam at Nagar Bhaban. He told Prothom Alo that proper waste management is still weak. Garbage is only being dumped in the landfill. The area is getting bigger. Settlements have been built around the dumping area. There is no denying that the people around are suffering due to toxic smoke if a fire breaks out. However, every effort is being made to prevent a fire from breaking out and to control it if it does break out.

On-site inspection revealed that there is no regular environmental monitoring program at the landfill, such as testing water quality, gas or air quality. Even the rule of covering the waste with soil is not followed regularly. However, Benazir Ahmed, who works as a subcontractor, has been doing this program for three months. Waste-carrying vehicles are entering without using a weighbridge (weighing device), as a result of which accurate information about the amount of waste is not available. There is no boundary wall in all parts of the landfill. Women, men, and children are entering and collecting various objects, including iron, from the waste.

Landfill fires are difficult to put out.

Fire service personnel are called in as soon as a fire breaks out at the landfill. An official from the Demra Fire Service and Civil Defense station told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, “We do a lot of big firefighting. But no one wants to agree to do the work of extinguishing the fire at this landfill. It takes a long time to finish the work here. Everyone gets tired from the toxic smoke and heat. The fire has to be extinguished with dirty water that comes out of the garbage. Everyone gets itchy all over their bodies. The workers get sick just by working here.”

On February 25, the garbage burned in the fire was being shaken with a vacuum cleaner. Deen Mohammad was supervising the work. He said that he has been working here for more than 10 years. He cannot work without a mask or handkerchief tied around his nose. All waste including batteries, glass, polythene, various chemicals is dumped here. He said, ‘When there is a fire, we also suffer. We have to struggle to put out the fire. So why do we start the fire ourselves? We, the staff, are also human beings.’ His house in Mridhabari is near the landfill.

A woman named Rozina has been running a rice hotel for six months, just a short distance from the landfill gate. She has lived in the area for 23 years. There are countless flies buzzing in the hotel. There is also a foul smell. Rozina said that the smoke from the fire is causing her pain, saying, “It is a bit difficult to smoke. I can’t breathe. I have to run to the medical center. There is a disgusting smell all around.” Rajab Ali’s welding factory is near Rozina’s hotel. She also said that not only children in the area, but also adults are suffering from fever, shortness of breath, and coughing.

Al Mahdi, a resident of East Jurain and studying in the honors program, said that even though they live about a kilometer away from the Matuail landfill, the smoke makes it difficult for them to live in the area when the landfill fire gets bigger.

” Landfill fires have been happening for years due to lack of proper waste management. Toxic smoke is spreading around. If such a joke on the people happened in a civilized place, the government would be embarrassed. But in Bangladesh, it is not discussed much. “

– Adil Muhammad Khan, urban planner.

Bangladesh Lung Foundation Scientific Secretary and chest specialist Md. Ferdous Wahid told Prothom Alo that Dhaka’s environment is already toxic. People are also polluting the air by burning waste in various places including landfills. When polluted air enters the lungs, various problems including sneezing and coughing arise.

According to the ‘Global Air Quality Report 2024’ by Switzerland-based company IQAir, Bangladesh was ranked second in terms of air pollution in 2024. Dhaka was ranked third in the world as a city.

According to Section 12 of the Air Pollution Control Rules-2022, it is prohibited to store or burn waste or any part of it in the open anywhere. Waste cannot be burned under any circumstances on the side of roads, streets, or highways. Violation of this provision is punishable by two years of imprisonment or a fine of two lakh taka.

Dangerous hotspots

The Matuail landfill was established in 1989 on an area of ​​25 acres. It is currently spread over an area of ​​181 acres. Garbage has been dumped on an area of ​​100 acres. Out of the 81 acres acquired, about 5 acres have also been filled with garbage. The city corporation has plans to use technology to produce fertilizer, electricity and other things from waste on 30 acres of the 81 acres. The 45 acres that will remain after excluding the 30 acres will be filled with garbage in 8 to 10 years. 3,000 to 3,200 tons of waste are dumped in this landfill every day.

The presence of methane gas in the landfill is not new. In addition to various studies in the country, a Bloomberg report on April 25, 2021, citing greenhouse gas emission monitoring organization GHGSAT, said that this waste storage facility in Bangladesh, which emits about 4,000 kg of methane per hour, has now become a dangerous hotspot. This huge amount of emissions is equivalent to driving about 190,000 ordinary cars.

In 2003, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) joined the development of the landfill. On November 18, 2021, JICA handed over the necessary gas analyzers, drones, and leachate (polluted liquid released from waste) measuring devices to accurately measure the gas generated in the landfill. However, relevant people in the city corporation say that due to lack of skilled manpower and budget, they are not getting the opportunity to use them regularly. The leachate treatment plant has also not been able to be implemented.

A master plan called Clean Dhaka was prepared in 2005. Later, the New Clean Dhaka Master Plan 2018-2032 was prepared. Its main goal is to make the city a waste-free city through integrated and sustainable waste management.

Superintendent Engineer of DSCC’s Waste Management Department, Mohammad Shafiullah Siddique Bhuiyan, who is also serving as the project director of Matuail Landfill, said that methane gas has accumulated in various pockets of the 37-year-old landfill. This is causing a fire. It is creating a health risk for the people around. Fire service personnel also do not want to come to put out the fire. It is not possible to cover the landfill with soil after dumping garbage every day.

Mohammad Shafiullah Siddique Bhuiyan spoke about the lack of budget and manpower for the development work of the landfill. He said that the government’s goodwill is also important.

Urgent call for sound management

A team of researchers from BRAC University’s James P. Grant School of Public Health conducted the study titled ‘Dhaka Landfill Waste Practices: Addressing Urban Pollution and Health Hazards’. It was published in the journal Buildings and Cities in 2021. It states that local residents are suffering from respiratory problems, skin diseases and stomach problems due to the proximity of the Matuail and Aminbazar landfills to settlements, water bodies and agricultural lands. Toxic liquid or leachate from the landfills is contaminating groundwater and soil, which is harming fisheries and agriculture. In addition, smoke and strong odor from waste burning are causing air pollution and making public life miserable.

Additional Director General of the Department of Environment Ziaul Haque told Prothom Alo that a letter was sent to the South City Corporation on March 1 to take necessary measures to control air pollution caused by the landfill fire. This issue has been urged on various occasions before.

Adil Muhammad Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development and urban planner, told Prothom Alo that fires in landfills have been happening for years due to lack of proper waste management. Toxic smoke is spreading around. If such a joke on the people happened in a civilized place, the government would be embarrassed. But in Bangladesh, it is not discussed much.

Source : Prothom Alo, March 09, 2026.