About 200 tanneries located in Hazaribagh area of Dhaka city provide approximately 90 per cent of the total leather produced in Bangladesh and mainly exported to different parts of the world. The leather industry provides directly and indirectly, approximately 45,000 jobs in the country. There is no denying the fact that the network of tanneries and leather product manufacturing units, formed and developed during the last several decades, is now a major manufacturing industry and source of employment. Over the past decade, leather exports have grown by an average of $41 million each year. Contributing about US$ 1billion to the annual export basket of the country, some analysts are even saying that it has the potential to be as big as the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh, if quality is maintained and product diversification is ensured, over the coming years.Relocation of Hazaribagh tanneries
The whole saga is yet another typical Bangladeshi experience of not following through
on plans and promises
Shadman Sahir Ahmed
About 200 tanneries located in Hazaribagh area of Dhaka city provide approximately 90 per cent of the total leather produced in Bangladesh and mainly exported to different parts of the world. The leather industry provides directly and indirectly, approximately 45,000 jobs in the country. There is no denying the fact that the network of tanneries and leather product manufacturing units, formed and developed during the last several decades, is now a major manufacturing industry and source of employment. Over the past decade, leather exports have grown by an average of $41 million each year. Contributing about US$ 1billion to the annual export basket of the country, some analysts are even saying that it has the potential to be as big as the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh, if quality is maintained and product diversification is ensured, over the coming years.
Having said that, one must understand, that the saying, ends justifies the means is not applicable and acceptable for everything. Yes the industry is generating a huge amount of revenue and taxes for our entrepreneurs and the government, but at what cost? The word Hazaribagh is made of two Persian words: Hazar meaning one thousand and bagh meaning garden. Hence the literal meaning of Hazaribagh is a city of a thousand gardens. Farcically enough, the area is the farthest from a garden that anyone can ever imagine! According to recent estimates, factories there dump around 21,000 cubic meters of untreated waste into the Buriganga River on a daily basis. The same river happens to be Dhakas main source of water. Yes, let that sink in to our mind for a second! No matter what world class treatment the water goes through in Dhaka WASAs facilities, it still carries the possibility of remaining contaminated.
As per various local and international studies carried out on the topic, it is safe to say that the effects of toxic dumping in the river are multifarious. Firstly, there is the rotting smell day and night for not only the Hazaribagh residents, but for the surrounding localities of Zigatala and Rayerbazar as well. The few times I went to Zigatala, the foul odor of under-process leather was unbearable, even though Zigatala is a good couple of kilometres away from Hazaribag proper! The factories use a combination of 40 different types of metal and acid in the raw hide processing, 40 per cent of which is absorbed into the leather whilst the rest is discarded into surrounding water bodies. Needless to say, this leads to extreme environmental degradation. Other hazardous toxins used in the production process include: Sulphuric acid, Formic acid, Caustic soda, Soda ash, Arsenic Sulphate, Potash, etc.
Various concerned groups and experts alike, emphasize that since untreated chemical waste is finding its way into the main river that feeds Dhaka, the surge in respiratory problems, skin ailments and the rise in cancer cases of late, is only natural. Moreover, as the workers in these factories operate with little protective kits to safeguard themselves from exposure to such toxic chemicals, many of them suffer from these diseases as well. In a study carried out by Human Rights Watch, past and present tannery workers described and displayed a variety of health conditions including prematurely aged, discolored, itchy, peeling, acid-burned, and rash-covered skin; corroded fingers; aches, dizziness, and nausea; and disfigured or amputated limbs. Close to a third of the people (living in and around Hazaribagh) suffer from various types of skin diseases since the water is contaminated. Pollutant levels in the wastewater surpass Bangladeshs permitted limits for tannery effluent, in some cases by many thousands of times the permitted concentrations. With black sludge flowing easily into the drainage system, high content of untreated chemicals make their way into nearby streams, ultimately ending up in the Buriganga River, and thereby affecting the greater population of Dhaka city. In terms of direct economic impact, both domestic animals and fisheries production in the area has plunged, as cattle food becomes toxic and oxygen levels in the Buriganga has decreased and is getting poisoned, at an alarming rate. Having this industry in the middle of the capital is not only environmentally costly, but has other far reaching implications as well. For example, it draws more and more rural migrants to our already overcrowded capital, who typically live in the slums that spoils the entire area.
So what has been or can be done to reposition these factories, so that the negative impact to our environment and our people can be minimized? The first significant step to relocate Hazaribagh tanneries outside Dhaka came through a High Court order in 2009. The plan was simple: to create an environmentally sustainable tannery zone that would protect Dhaka citys water supply from toxic contamination. Seven years on, there is little progress and the only outcome is the mutual blaming of one another: the tannery owners and the public institution responsible for facilitating the relocation process. As several deadlines for tannery relocation had already been missed, we have been led to believe by the administration that the industrial zone that is being built in Savar is practically complete, but transfer of factories has not been made possible due to reluctance of the owners. However, this is not entirely the fact. The reality is that the authorities responsible have themselves failed to meet its own deadlines to complete the work of various infrastructural facilities, including the central effluent treatment plant (CETP) and is yet to provide utility services, including gas and electricity connections, as per the requirements. However, that does not by any mean imply that the factory owners are ready themselves. Out of some 150 factory owners, only about 30 have made notable progresses in setting up their establishments in the new location. The authorities believe that only these 30 factories will be in a position to relocate anytime soon. Given this dismal rate of progress, the issue of pollution by tanneries in Dhaka city is likely to if substantial initiative is not taken by the authorities on an urgent basis.
As many deadlines came and went for relocation, to which the tannery owners did not pay much heed, the last of which was on the 9th of March, 2016, finally in a last ditch attempt the authorities have now imposed a fine of Tk. 50,000 per day. The high court issued an order on 16th June, 2016, whereby the tannery owners must pay the aforementioned amount, in compensation for damaging the environment in the area, everyday till they move their operations to Savar. The owners will have to deposit the money with the state exchequer from the date of receiving copies of the HC order until relocation of their factories to Savar Tannery Industrial Estate. However, the tannery owners keep underlining the fact that even the basic facility of the CETP has not been completed yet, let alone the rest of the infrastructure, so why and how exactly are they going to start setting up their operations there? Given the current situation, precisely who is going to foot the bill of Tk 3,500 crore to complete the transfer? So, while the blame game is picking pace, especially since 2016, it is the common people who are the sufferers, as usual.
The approximately 7 million residents of Dhaka city, who are exposed to the polluted air and water on a daily basis, are the victims. Cases of serious ailments, from exposure to the toxicity arising from the chemical wastes of the tannery factories, amongst both, the young and the old will continue to grow and expand. Hospitals and diagnostic centers will continue to thrive, as the number of patients seeking treatment, rise exponentially. Traditionally, the system and culture of our country is to show complete disregard for the well-being of its citizens as long as any business medium is churning out profits. Therefore to think that our respected, tannery owners and the authorities would suddenly have a change of heart is probably too nave! Despite that, for the sake of our own piece of mind, we must continue to hope and believe that public welfare does take precedence over profits, in Bangladesh.
At least, the initiative to relocate the tannery industry has been taken.7 years back!
The writer is a freelancer
