Bhawal Forest Waste Station Sparks Legal, Environmental Concerns
Dhaka, August 29, 2026: Construction of a waste transfer facility inside Bhawal National Park in Gazipur has triggered renewed concerns over environmental protection and compliance with a High Court directive to stop work at the site.
The facility, being developed by Gazipur City Corporation, is intended to address the long-standing problem of waste accumulating along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near the forest. However, Forest Department officials and environmentalists say relocating the waste operation inside the protected area could create a far more serious ecological problem.
The construction site lies within the national park boundary and has been described by forest officials as part of the park’s core zone. They maintain that waste disposal and commercial activities are not permitted in the area.
The project reportedly covers three plots, including two government-owned parcels and one privately owned property. While the city corporation maintains that construction is taking place on private land, forest officials argue that private ownership does not remove restrictions applicable within the national park.
A recent inspection found construction progressing rapidly, with contractors working toward completion. The facility covers approximately 7,500 square feet and is expected to accommodate around 2,000 tonnes of waste, according to people involved in the project.
The controversy intensified after the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) filed a writ petition with the High Court in May, challenging the construction and proposed waste dumping inside the protected forest.
The petition argued that the project was inconsistent with provisions of the Forest Act 1927 and the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2026. On May 4, the High Court ordered that construction inside Bhawal National Park be suspended and also directed Gazipur City Corporation not to dump waste around the park for six months.
Forest officials say work initially stopped following the order but subsequently resumed. They also raised concerns over an electricity connection reportedly obtained for the facility despite the department's objections.
Bhawal National Park Beat Officer Ashanur Tuhin said Forest Department officials had objected to the project from its beginning. He said complaints were submitted to relevant government authorities and an encroachment case was also filed.
Forest officials further said workers initially failed to produce the necessary approval documents when asked to do so. They alleged that a section of the park's boundary wall was later damaged to establish access to the construction site.
Gazipur City Corporation says the project is part of its effort to improve waste management and prevent rubbish from continuing to accumulate beside the highway.
Chief Executive Officer Tanjila Khanam said the corporation requires several secondary transfer stations but faces difficulties securing suitable land.
Environmental lawyers, however, question whether the land's private ownership provides sufficient legal grounds for establishing a waste facility within the national park.
BELA Chief Executive and former adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said land ownership does not override restrictions governing protected areas. She questioned the rationale of establishing a waste centre within the boundary of a national park.
Environmental concerns have also grown over the potential consequences of operating a large-scale waste facility within the sal forest.
Forest officials warn that regular disposal of mixed waste could affect soil, water and air quality and expose wildlife to contaminated materials. Animals consuming waste could become ill, while prolonged waste activity could alter the forest ecosystem.
Officials have additionally raised concerns that deep tube wells associated with the project could reduce groundwater availability, potentially affecting the natural regeneration and survival of the sal forest.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have pointed to a separate government decision concerning electricity infrastructure for a waste treatment facility in the broader forest area. A July 14 letter from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change conditionally approved a temporary electricity line crossing approximately 0.026 hectares of forest land for a plant established by Sreepur Municipality.
Divisional Forest Officer MKM Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury said the city corporation had not obtained Forest Department approval for the Bhawal facility and expressed concern over the long-term ecological impact.
Urban and regional planning expert Akter Mahmud of Jahangirnagar University stressed the need for a scientifically planned waste-management system outside sensitive forest ecosystems.
Without an appropriate alternative, he warned, continued pressure on protected forest areas could gradually contribute to the loss of places such as Bhawal National Park.
