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Circular Economy for Bangladesh’s Economic Future
September 6, 2026
Participants at the National Dialogue on Circular Economy and Bangladesh’s Economic Future in Dhaka, bringing together government, private sector, academia, civil society and development partners to advance practical pathways for a more resource-efficient and resilient economy.
©UNDP Bangladesh
Experts at a national dialogue, stressed that advancing a circular economy will be critical for Bangladesh to strengthen economic competitiveness, use resources more efficiently, create new employment opportunities and respond to growing environmental pressures as the country enters its next phase of development.
The National Dialogue on Circular Economy and Bangladesh’s Economic Future, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Dhaka on 24 August. The dialogue brought together senior representatives from government ministries and agencies, the private sector, financial institutions, academia, civil society and development partners to discuss opportunities, barriers and practical pathways for advancing circular economy approaches in Bangladesh.
Representing the government, Sahela Akter, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Industries, highlighted the potential to recover greater value from cotton, polyester and garment production waste. She also emphasized reducing dependence on single-use plastics and designing products for recyclability from the outset.
Dr. S. M. Zobaidul Kabir, Joint Chief, Delta Wing and Blue Economy, General Economics Division, stressed the importance of integrating circular economy principles into national planning and decision-making. He suggested incorporating circular economy criteria into national planning instruments, Development Project Proformas, the Medium-Term Budgetary Framework and project appraisal processes.
Reflecting on the discussion, Lubna Yasmin, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, described circular economy as an opportunity rather than a challenge. She highlighted its links with green growth, job creation and sustainable development.
From UNDP, Sardar M. Asaduzzaman, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh, highlighted circular economy as a practical pathway to strengthen competitiveness, create jobs, improve resource efficiency and address growing environmental pressures.
In his keynote, Jacob Ferdinand, Green Growth Programme Specialist, UNDP Bangladesh, emphasized that circular economy goes beyond recycling and waste management. He described it as an economic transformation agenda and identified five key areas for Bangladesh: governance, skills and innovation, cities, circular value chains and the blue economy.
Professor Dr. Melita Mehjabeen of the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, identified the lack of reliable and comprehensive data as a major barrier to informed policy and investment decisions.
Owais Parray, Economic Advisor, UNDP Bangladesh, noted that while better data would strengthen decision-making, reasonable estimates can also guide action as evidence systems continue to improve.
Representing the private sector, Mashuk Mujib Chowdhury, Senior Manager, Sustainability, DBL Group, shared examples of circular practices already taking place. He noted that 2,100 tonnes of waste had been reused to produce recycled garments in one example, while other operational waste had been converted into products such as tiles and chalk.
©UNDP Bangladesh
Across the panel discussion, participants identified textiles and ready-made garments, leather, plastics and packaging, and agriculture as priority sectors where circular approaches could generate greater economic and environmental value. They also discussed industrial symbiosis, where waste or by-products from one industry can serve as raw materials for another, creating opportunities to reduce waste, transport costs and emissions while generating new business value.
The dialogue concluded with a call to move from ambition to action by strengthening coordination, improving data and access to finance, supporting SMEs and informal workers, investing in green skills, and scaling practical circular economy models. UNDP reaffirmed its commitment to support national leadership in translating these priorities into scalable solutions that can strengthen competitiveness and build a more resilient and inclusive economy.
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