DHAKA (Agencies): A ceremony was held on Thursday to mark the completion of the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant, the largest single sewage treatment facility in South Asia. The project, funded by the Chinese government, was undertaken by Chinese enterprises and is set to benefit 5 million residents in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the completion ceremony at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center and praised the plant’s significant role in improving and safeguarding local rivers and the environment. The modern sewage treatment facility will provide millions of urban residents with access to enhanced sewage treatment services.
The project, an integral part of the Belt and Road initiative and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, was designed, procured, constructed, and is now operated by PowerChina’s Chengdu Engineering Corporation.
“This project has achieved several milestones. With a sewage treatment capacity of 500,000 tons per day, it is the largest single sewage treatment plant in South Asia to date and the first modern large-scale sewage treatment plant in Bangladesh,” said Ju Qifeng, Deputy General Manager of Chengdu Engineering Corporation, in an interview with the Global Times.
The project also represents the simultaneous construction of a sewage treatment plant and a sludge incineration plant in Bangladesh for the first time. Additionally, it is the first instance of the “spray drying + rotary kiln incineration process” technology and equipment, possessing independent intellectual property rights in China, being deployed overseas.
Project Manager Zhang Chengbo revealed that despite challenges posed by dengue fever and COVID-19, the project officially commenced operations in April 2022. Collaboration between numerous Chinese and foreign joint venture units, suppliers, and thousands of construction workers from China and Bangladesh was instrumental in its successful completion.
Throughout the construction period, over 1,000 local employees were hired, creating thousands of jobs for the local population. The project also contributed significantly to the local economy through the purchase of a substantial amount of equipment and materials from the region, according to the Chengdu Engineering Corporation.
Commenced in August 2017, the plant now has the capacity to process sewage for nearly 5 million residents, significantly improving local water pollution and enhancing the quality of life for locals. The project comprises an external sewage lifting pump station, sewage transport pipes, the main sewage treatment plant area, and a sludge drying and incineration system.
In addition to the sewage treatment plant, the Chengdu Engineering Corporation is also responsible for the Cox’s Bazar wind farm project, the first large-scale centralized wind farm in Bangladesh. Previous reports indicate that the project’s average annual power generation amounts to 144.92 million kilowatt-hours, resulting in a saving of 44,500 tons of standard coal.
Huang He, Chairman of the Chengdu Engineering Corporation, expressed that the wind farm project will accelerate the development of Bangladesh’s wind power industry and contribute to the country’s green and low-carbon economic and social growth.