A contract signing ceremony was held to implement solid waste and fecal sludge management activities of Chapainawabganj Municipality through a Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The event took place on Monday, 29 December 2025, at the Shaheed Satu Auditorium Complex in Chapainawabganj.
The Honorable Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Chapainawabganj, Mr. Shahadat Hossain Masud, attended the program as the Chief Guest. However, due to urgent election-related responsibilities, he had to leave the event shortly.
The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Ujjal Kumar Ghosh, Administrator of Chapainawabganj Municipality and Deputy Director, Local Government, Chapainawabganj. Distinguished guests included Mr. Kazi Ashraful Hasan, Managing Director of SDC Agro Limited, and Mr. Md. Tanvir Ahamed Chowdhury, Project Manager, WASH System for Health Project and Business Advisor, Sustainable Urban Water Cycle (SUWC) Project, SNV Bangladesh.
The program began with a welcome address by Mr. Mamun-or-Rashid, Municipal Executive Officer of Chapainawabganj Municipality. In his speech, he highlighted the necessity of engaging the private sector to ensure efficient and sustainable waste management services.
In the introductory remarks, Mr. Mohammad Rezaul Huda, Cluster Coordinator of SNV, emphasized SNV’s role in creating demand and facilitating the transfer of municipal waste management responsibilities to private operators.Subsequently, Mr. Imran Hossain, Town Planner of Chapainawabganj Municipality, explained the importance of involving private operators in municipal waste management in the current context.
Mr. Tanvir Ahamed Chowdhury delivered a speech outlining the SNV-implemented Sustainable Urban Water Cycle (SUWC) Project. He also emphasized the need to develop a sustainable business model for municipal waste management services within the municipality.
Following these discussions, the contract signing between Chapainawabganj Municipality and the private entity SDC Agro Limited was formally completed. Through this agreement, SDC Agro Limited will assume responsibility for the operation of solid waste and fecal sludge management services in the municipal area of Chapainawabganj.
Dr. Md. Zahirul Islam, Monitoring Specialist, Department of Agricultural Extension, Chapainawabganj, stated that converting waste into organic fertilizer is essential to ensure soil health and increase agricultural productivity.
Dr. A. K. M. Shahabuddin, Civil Surgeon of Chapainawabganj and Honorable Member of the Municipal Council, noted that improper management of solid waste and fecal sludge leads to waterborne and fecal-borne diseases, which negatively affect public health. He emphasized that proper waste management is crucial for improving community health.
In his remarks as a special guest, Mr. Kazi Ashraful Hasan, Managing Director of SDC Agro Ltd., stated that waste management is a challenging task. He expressed his commitment to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to transform Chapainawabganj into a clean and greenar city. He further added that municipal waste would be converted into organic fertilizer, turning waste into a valuable resource and benefiting local farmers.
Mr. Ujjal Kumar Ghosh, Honorable Chair of the event, stated that
“Such partnership-based initiatives will ensure improved, sustainable, and health-friendly waste management services for municipal residents. This will bring positive changes not only to environmental protection but also to public health and overall urban management.”In his closing remarks, Mr. Ghosh expressed optimism that by appointing a private operator to manage waste services, Chapainawabganj would emerge as a ‘Green and Clean City’ and become a model municipality in Bangladesh. He highly appreciated the role played by SNV in facilitating this process and concluded the ceremony by calling for collective cooperation from all stakeholders.