Toxic discharges from the textiles, especially from dyeing and finishing factories, are contaminating both surface and ground water with serious consequences on life and environment. Speakers at a seminar in Dhaka Saturday deplored such unscrupulous discharge of untreated life-threatening industrial wastes and highlighted the urgency of preventive government steps to stem the rot. They specifically suggested strict and effective monitoring of import and distribution of harmful chemicals and rationalisation of taxes and duties for encouraging production of environment-friendly goods and discouraging use of such hazardous chemicals. The private think-tank Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI) organised the seminar on ‘Legal and Regulatory Issues Related to Environmental Sustainability of the Textile Sector’ in collaboration with the IFC (International Finance Corporation) Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju attended the programme as chief guest while BGMEA president Atiqul Islam was special guest. PRI Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur presented the keynote paper on the subject, identifying textiles as a major contributor to water pollution and scarcity impacting on health, food production and other economic sectors. According to Mr Mansur, the textile sector in Dhaka currently consumes 1.5 trillion litres of groundwater annually to produce 5 million tonnes of fabrics (300 litres per-kg fabric). The global standard is well below 100 litres per kilogram of fabrics. “The massive use of groundwater contributes to a major decline in water level (1-2 metres per year),” he told the meet. The impact is already being felt in the capital city, Dhaka, the policy analyst said to ring an alarm bell. Without full coverage of effluent-treatment plants (ETPs) along with strict enforcement of related rules and laws, the water pollution could not be addressed effectively. Furthermore, the PRI executive director observed that in view of the projected expansion of RMG and textile sector by 2030 the problem without cent-percent ETP coverage would become more extensive. At present, according to Dr Mansur, the ETP coverage is about 30 per cent. He also described in details the initiatives taken so far to address the problem, including Bangladesh Bank governor’s commitment for setting up the US$ 500 million Export Development Fund-II for textile factories, to help them adopt eco-friendly technologies and practices. To check improper use of the fund, former Finance Minister M. Syeduzzaman urged the authorities concerned to be more careful so that the deserving industries only could utilise the fund. He also stressed the need for making the country’s textile industry more environment- friendly by reducing the levels of pollution. Most of the speakers at the seminar demanded implementation of earlier recommendations and called for forming a taskforce within the Ministry of Environment and Forests to discuss the issues, taking into account all recommendations. The environment minister, however, pointed out that a lot of policies had been formulated since the Independence, but to little or no effect because of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy, he said, gobbled up almost two-thirds of the budget. Mr Anwar Hossain also identified corruption as one of the major problems holding back the advancement the country could have attained. “It bleeds the economy, eats up most of our achievements. If there were no corruption, there would be at least 3-4 per cent more income,” he told his audience in the brainstorming session. The minister, also chairman of his faction of the JP, expressed his grave concern over the present political situation, too, as it appeared as a roadblock to economic activity, normal course of life and business. “You cannot do business; there is no gas, no electricity. The water supplied by government cannot be drunk,” he said about the cascading impacts of the political impasse. “The situation is created by politicians. We, every one, are trying to eliminate one by another,” the minister of the Awami League-led coalition government said on a note of frustration. BGMEA president Atiqul Alam said positive changes had already gained the momentum and Bangladesh’s RMG sector was in its quest for an environmentally sustainable industry. To keep this momentum up, he urged brands and buyers to play a vital role by encouraging eco-friendly suppliers providing premium prices. Held at the PRI conference room, the seminar was also addressed, among others, by Bangladesh Bank Economic Adviser Md. Akhteruzzaman, Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) CEO Ferdaus Ara Begum, Programme Manager, Bangladesh Water PaCT, Mrinal Sircar, Brand Representative, C&A, Kazy Mohammad Iqbal Hossain and Ifty Islam, managing partner, AT Capital. The seminar also called for urgently undertaking a campaign against misuse of harmful chemicals, creating database of importers and distributors of hazardous chemicals and incentives for adopting low-cost cleaner production practices.
