Trade and Industry Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir visited key facilities in Istanbul to explore Turkish expertise in waste-to-energy and leather manufacturing to modernise Bangladesh's waste management and leather sectors. During visits on 4 and 5 November, the minister inspected waste-to-energy plants, a leather industrial zone and a leather processing factory to gain insights into Turkey's technologies, operational practices and industrial infrastructure.
On 4 November, he visited a waste incineration and power generation facility operated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, where senior officials briefed him on household waste treatment processes and electricity generation. Operated by İSTAÇ, the facility can process 3,000 tonnes of waste daily and has an installed electricity generation capacity of 85 megawatts. According to the officials, the technology could help improve urban waste management and ease pressure on landfills in Bangladesh, subject to assessments of local conditions, economic viability and environmental requirements.
The minister also visited the Istanbul Leather Organised Industrial Zone in Tuzla on the same day. Celal Kopuz, chairman of the zone's board of directors, and other representatives briefed him on its operations and economic contributions. Discussions focused on the importance of planned industrial zones, shared infrastructure and centralised wastewater treatment facilities in leather manufacturing, which could help Bangladesh modernise its leather industrial estates, improve environmental compliance and increase production efficiency.
Later, Muktadir visited the factory of Cevahir Leather Industry and Trade Company Ltd, observing leather processing, tanning and finishing technologies. On 5 November, the minister visited the Energram Thermal Disposal Facility in Sile, where hazardous industrial waste is treated through thermal processes and electricity is generated. Operated under an integrated waste management framework with an annual industrial waste treatment capacity of 33,000 tonnes, the facility demonstrated potential areas of cooperation between Bangladeshi and Turkish institutions in urban development and environmental management.
Adopting appropriate waste treatment and energy recovery technologies could improve industrial waste management while adding to electricity supply to the national grid. In the leather sector, Turkey's experience in strengthening centralised wastewater treatment and upgrading production processes could support Bangladesh's efforts to make the industry more competitive. Through training, technology transfer and investment partnerships, Bangladesh could also explore opportunities to diversify exports, create employment and strengthen its position in international markets.
Why it matters
Adopting Turkish waste-to-energy and leather processing expertise can help Bangladesh modernise urban waste management, enhance industrial environmental compliance, and boost export competitiveness.