Sahabuddin Ali is an example of what kind of losses a businessman faces if he cannot stay aligned with power or if local leaders of the ruling party become ‘dissatisfied’ with someone. He once ran a scrap business in old Dhaka. About one and a half years ago, he left that business and, in search of extra profit, got involved in collecting waste from people’s households. The story of how he got this job is also linked to receiving the ‘blessing’ of power.
At that time, an interim government was in power. During that period, some individuals had influence in the Dhaka North and South City Corporations and various government institutions and departments. They often claimed to be forces in favour of the mass uprising, although their main work was lobbying and trading influence. Sahabuddin Ali found one such person. Through him, he got the contract for collecting waste from households and businesses in Ward No. 38 of Dhaka South City Corporation (including areas such as Kaptan Bazar and parts of Nawabpur and nearby areas).
According to the rules of the city corporation, Sahabuddin had to deposit 1.2 million (non-refundable) as security for the job. Although getting the job through tender was not easy, he did not face any obstacles at that time due to having political backing. After receiving permission from the corporation for one year in September 2024, he was able to collect waste from some households in Ward 38 for only two months.
Speaking to Prothom Alo in three separate sessions during the first week of May, Sahabuddin Ali said, “I was threatened with beating. People from BNP (BAngladesh Nationalist Party) forcefully took away the work from me. I had saved Tk 1.2 million from six years of scrap iron business. Now, forget profit, I have lost the entire amount. I went to local influential BNP leaders seeking justice, but it was of no use.”
When asked why he left his old business and got involved in waste collection, Sahabuddin Ali said, “There is no loss in this work, only profit.”
For the waste collection work, Sahabuddin Ali initially hired 24 workers and also bought vans. He planned to increase both workers and vans, but within just two months the work was taken away from him. Since then, he has not been able to engage in any business and is spending his time unemployed. He said only that he lives with his family in an inherited flat in Dhupkhola, old Dhaka. His household is somehow running on a small rent from a shop left by his father.
Like Sahabuddin, another businesswoman had received waste collection work in Ward No. 58 of Dhaka South City (Shyampur area) in September 2024. However, local BNP activists did not allow her to work, alleging that she was involved in the politics of the Jubo Mahila League (now banned from activities).
New controllers of trash business
Dhaka South City has 75 wards. The city corporation assigns household waste collection in each ward through private companies (van service). One organisation is selected through tender for each ward. To obtain this work, depending on the size of the ward and number of holdings (houses), a non-refundable deposit of a maximum of 1.7 million and a minimum of 1.5 million must now be paid to the corporation fund. Earlier, it was 1.2 million.
When asked why action is not taken despite violation of rules and arbitrary collection of money, two officials of DSCC told Prothom Alo that this is a source of income for some local leaders and activists of the party in power. They also said that when the work is given to someone without political connection, that person often faces obstruction and extortion demands. They added that denying this reality of the country is pointless.
For the past two years, there have been no mayors or councillors in the Dhaka city corporations. Earlier, control of waste-related work was in the hands of local councillors and some leaders and activists of the Awami League (now banned from activities). Now, control of this work has been taken over by the BNP and some leaders and activists of its affiliated and associated organisations.
For example, in Ward No. 30, the household waste collection work has been taken by Mohammad Nahidul Islam, a member of the central committee of Jubo Dal. In Ward No. 33, the work has been taken by Abdur Rahman, who is also the president of the BNP of that ward. In Ward No. 38 (where Sahabuddin Ali got the work in 2024), the work is now held by Ward BNP president Mahfuzur Rahman.
In Ward No. 40, the work has been taken by Mahbubur Rahman, also the BNP president of that ward. In Ward No. 43, the work has been taken by Kazi Abdul Kaiyum, the ward BNP president. In Ward No. 61, the work has been taken by Abdus Salam (Hira), who is the joint convener of that ward BNP. In Ward No. 65, the waste collection work has been taken by Foysal Hedayat, joint convener of Dhaka city South Jubo Dal.
Multiple sources in the waste management department of DSCC said that in most wards, the responsibility for waste collection has been taken by BNP and its affiliated and associated organisation leaders and activists. In some cases, it has been taken in the name of ward BNP presidents, and in other cases in the names of leaders of other affiliated organisations.
According to the sources, in some wards, organisations linked to Awami League politics have also received work, but control of those organisations is now in the hands of BNP-linked leaders and activists.
During the Awami League government, control of waste collection in Dhaka’s two city corporations (DSCC and DNCC) was held by some party activists and ward councillors.
On 13 October 2019, an investigative report titled “AL men make Tk 4.5b in cash from trash” was published in Prothom Alo. It said that ruling party leaders, activists, and local councillors were controlling a waste trade worth at least Tk 4.5 billion per year by holding city residents hostage.
Several reports were also published on the front page and inside pages on that day, highlighting the involvement of Awami League leaders in the waste business.
The Awami League government fell in a mass uprising on 5 August 2024. After that, control of the waste trade in DSCC slipped out of the hands of the party’s leaders and activists.
To understand how household waste collection works, how much bills are collected in different areas, who is involved, and the level of political involvement, this correspondent visited 11 wards of DSCC—including Dhanmondi, Jatrabari, Bangshal, Azimpur, and Khilgaon—for 21 days from 20 April to 10 May.
During this time, he spoke with political leaders at various levels, field-level city corporation officials, local residents, and workers and van drivers involved in waste collection.
Wherever as they please
According to the conditions of Dhaka South City Corporation, any private organisation collecting waste is allowed to charge a maximum of Tk 100 household (flat). However, most organisations do not follow this rule. For example, a security guard of a house in Dhanmondi’s 8/A area, Ziauddin, told Prothom Alo that Tk 200 is collected per flat every month for waste.
A shopkeeper of a juice store in Azimpur area said that he is charged Tk 1,000 every month for waste. He also showed a receipt of Tk 1,000 to this correspondent.
A businessman who worked for 10 years during the Awami League era in a DSCC ward collecting household waste, spoke to Prothom Alo about this. Wishing not to be named, he said that even if Tk 100 is charged per household, after all expenses there is an average monthly profit of Tk 300,000 ward. However, in most places Tk 150–200 is collected, in which case the average profit per ward becomes about Tk 500,000 per month.
An investigation by Prothom Alo on waste charges across different areas of Dhaka South shows significant variation. In the Commissioner Road area of East Jurain, Tk 200 is collected per flat, while in some nearby houses, Tk 100 is collected per flat.
In the alleys of Kathalbagan Dhal areas, Tk 250 is collected per flat. In buildings near Hatirpool market, Tk 200 per flat is collected. In Mugda-Manda area, Tk 120 per flat is collected. In Shahidbagh area of Razarbagh, Tk 200 per flat is collected. In Taltola area of Khilgaon, Tk 200 is collected per flat. In Kaettuli area of old Dhaka, Tk 200 is also collected per flat.
When asked why action is not taken despite violation of rules and arbitrary collection of money, two officials of DSCC told Prothom Alo that this is a source of income for some local leaders and activists of the party in power. They also said that when the work is given to someone without political connection, that person often faces obstruction and extortion demands. They added that denying this reality of the country is pointless.
However, DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam has said that anyone attempting to collect extra money by exerting political or other influence in household waste collection will not be spared.
He said strict monitoring will be ensured and those who have received waste collection contracts in each ward have been warned that no more than 100 can be collected.
If complaints are received against anyone, their license will be cancelled, the DSCC administrator stated.
Capture through influence
In Basabo and Madartek areas of DSCC (Ward No. 4), household waste collection work has been awarded to Shahidullah Construction and Engineering.
Two employees of the company (in managerial positions), speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that they were able to operate the waste collection work from January to March this year after paying Tk 250,000 per month as extortion. On 5 April, several leaders of Ward BNP allegedly came to their office and forcibly took control of the work.
When contacted over the phone by Prothom Alo, Ward No. 4 BNP President (Basabo branch) Harun or Rashid said there is a context behind the incident and it cannot be discussed now. He did not want to say anything further.
On the other hand, Ward No. 4 BNP General Secretary (Madartek branch) Iqbal Hossain said to Prothom Alo, “Can anyone take over work by force? This work was handed over to them by the city corporation.”
Later, the matter was discussed with the waste management department of the city corporation. An official of the department told Prothom Alo that once a contract is awarded to an organisation through tender, there is no opportunity to transfer that work to someone else in the middle without any reason.
How much profit in waste business
A businessman who worked for 10 years during the Awami League era in a DSCC ward collecting household waste, spoke to Prothom Alo about this. Wishing not to be named, he said that even if Tk 100 is charged per household, after all expenses there is an average monthly profit of Tk 300,000 ward. However, in most places Tk 150–200 is collected, in which case the average profit per ward becomes about Tk 500,000 per month.
If even Tk 400,000 per ward is assumed, then in 75 wards of Dhaka South City, the monthly profit from waste trade is about Tk 30 million, and annually about Tk 360 million.
According to city corporation data, there are 293,881 holdings (buildings/flats) in Dhaka South. If an average of Tk 150 is collected per holding, the monthly income from waste trade is at least Tk 44.1 million.
In some cases, a building with 6–8 flats has only one holding number. In other cases, one flat may also have one holding. Generally, the city corporation considers one holding to contain about six flats. Based on that calculation, there are about 1,763,286 flats in Dhaka South. If 150 taka is collected per flat, the monthly income from waste trade is at least Tk 264.4 million, which amounts to at least Tk 3.17 billion per year.
One of the core functions of city corporations is maintaining waste management. For this, the two city corporations of Dhaka collect 2 per cent of the holding tax every year as cleanliness charges.
Muhammad Ariful Islam, president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), told Prothom Alo that citizens pay holding tax every year in exchange for basic services including cleanliness. Even if the corporation sets a fee of Tk 100, in reality private organisations in many areas are collecting arbitrary amounts.
He said this kind of system is unacceptable and it is the responsibility of the city corporation to resolve this disorder.