Kishoreganj authorities cover decades-old landfill with sand ahead of Prime Minister Tareq Rahman visit
Photo Collected
KISHOREGANJ — Local authorities have covered a two-decade-old waste dump along the Kishoreganj-Bhairab regional highway with sand ahead of a scheduled visit by Prime Minister Tareque Rahman on Sunday. The move, which also includes a city-wide cleaning initiative, has drawn criticism from residents who claim the measure is a temporary attempt to hide long-standing environmental concerns from the head of government.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes a series of official engagements, starting with the release of fish fry in Pakundia to mark National Fisheries Week. He is also scheduled to inspect a carp hatchery complex in Katiadi and inaugurate development projects at the historic Sholakia Eidgah grounds. Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister will launch a family card distribution program at the Old Stadium field in the district headquarters.
The waste management site in the Khilpara area has served as a dumping ground for the municipality and neighboring upazilas, including Katiadi, Pakundia, and Hossainpur, for nearly 20 years. The site contains waste from households, markets, and local medical facilities, creating a persistent odor that has long affected commuters traveling between Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet. Despite a ten-million-dollar waste management project being constructed three to four years ago, it has remained non-operational due to a lack of personnel, prompting years of public protests and media reports.
Local residents allege that the current efforts, which involve clearing surface waste and covering the remainder with sand, are merely a cosmetic solution. “We have repeatedly petitioned municipal authorities to address the smell and health hazards, but they only acted once the Prime Minister’s visit was announced,” said local resident Mahamudul Hasan. He expressed concern that the area would return to its previous state once the high-profile visit concludes.
Jebun Nahar Shammi, the administrator of Kishoreganj Municipality and deputy director of the Local Government Engineering Department, stated that the cleaning drive is part of a broader effort to improve the city’s environment. She noted that public awareness campaigns are being conducted to discourage littering in open areas. According to Shammi, the sand-covering of the highway dumping site is a temporary measure, and officials are working to operationalize the permanent waste management project in the near future.
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