Jul 16, 2026
| Staff Correspondent
The Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development on Wednesday called for the cancellation of the Aminbazar Waste-to-Energy Power Plant project, describing the facility as one of the country’s most expensive and environmentally high-risk power ventures.
The non-governmental organisation working on environmental issues submitted an appeal to prime minister Tarique Rahman on July 14, seeking cancellation of the project after reviewing its environmental, social and economic impacts.
Under the power purchase agreement, the government will buy electricity from the 42.5-megawatt power plant at 21.78 US cents per unit (Tk 26.79 per kWh), which is about 2.5 times higher than solar power tariffs and nearly double the cost of coal-based electricity, according to a BWGED press release issued on Wednesday.
The expected annual electricity generation is approximately 316.5 million units if the plant operates at an 85 per cent plant load factor. However, the cost would rise to about Tk 47 per unit if the plant operates at only 40 per cent PLF and Tk 75 per unit under a 20-per cent PLF scenario.
In addition, the government would have to bear an annual capacity payment burden of $58.87 million.
The estimated construction cost of $467 million is 2.5 times higher than the construction cost per megawatt of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the BWGED said.
Under the agreement, the Dhaka North City Corporation would face a $50-per-tonne penalty if it fails to supply the required 3,000 tonnes of waste daily.
At full operation, the North Dhaka Waste-to-Energy Plant is expected to emit approximately 4,11,392 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, increasing Bangladesh’s overall carbon emissions and undermining its climate commitments, including the Global Methane Pledge.
The BWGED also said that 40 per cent of surveyed residents near the site were not consulted despite claims in the project’s official environmental assessment.
It added that the consultations reportedly took place only after the government had approved the project.
News Link: Aminbazar waste-to-energy project cancellation sought