Bandarban Municipality has not been able to establish a permanent dumping station for municipal waste management even in the last 38 years. Public suffering is increasing day by day due to open dumping of waste. Recently, on the surface, it was seen that there are piles of garbage scattered on both sides of the Bandarban to Rowangchari upazila road. This road leads from Bandarban to Rowanchhari Upazila; hundreds of people use this road every day. The municipality disposes more than 12 trucks of garbage daily with three trucks. In addition to making it difficult for people to move in the stinky area, all the urban dwellers are coming into the Sangu River and polluting the environment and the river water.
Swapan Barua (62) said that many people have to walk through this road from Kalaghata every day. He said that many people including him feel utter discomfort at the stench of garbage on both sides of the road. He insisted on making the municipality a permanent dumping station.
Kyasha Mong Marma, the former municipal councilor of Ward No 5 of Bandarban municipality and prominent social worker of the area, said that every afternoon in order to take a little physical exercise and take in the pure, quiet air, if you go to Bandarban to Rowangchhari road, you cannot walk because of the stench, you have to close your nose and mouth. Moreover, municipal garbage falls into the Sangu River, polluting the river's water and air, making walking in the afternoon difficult. Municipal authorities should take measures to recycle waste quickly.
When asked about the matter, Bandarban Municipal Waste Management Acting Inspector Manzoor Ahmed said that the garbage is being dumped at the temporary dumping station. When asked about the Sangu River being polluted causing public traffic problems, he said that temporarily the garbage is being dumped on the north side of the road. He said that if a permanent dumping station is made, public suffering will end.
Fakhar Uddin Chowdhury, Assistant Director of Environment Department, Bandarban, upon being asked about the contamination of the river and the environment due to waste disposal in Bandarban Municipality, said that the waste recycling project of Bandarban Municipality and Lama Municipality has been taken up with the financing of World Bank. He said that if the station is built, the problem of public suffering will be solved.
Bandarban Municipality Mayor and District Awami League General Secretary Islam Baby said that after the current Awami League government came to power, Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs Minister has made unprecedented progress in road construction, drainage, garbage, sewage management and providing citizen facilities with the overall planning and cooperation. When asked about the public nuisance caused by the dumping of municipal waste on both sides of the Bandarban to Rowanchari road, he said that five acres of land has been fixed in Kalaghata, the third ward of the municipality, where a permanent dumping station will be constructed soon. He mentioned that the problem will be solved if a permanent dumping station is made.
Besides, Mayor Islam Baby has asked for the full cooperation of the citizens to transform the Bandarban municipality into a clean and modern tourist city. The mayor of Bandarban said that he is making maximum efforts to provide more advanced citizen facilities.
