Environmental and Forest Affairs Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has stated that burning waste at landfills must be strictly prohibited.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Matuail sanitary landfill in Dhaka on Saturday (April 5), she said initiatives will be taken to safeguard the health and well-being of people living near the landfill.

Although she acknowledged that relocating the Matuail landfill entirely will not be possible in the short term, she mentioned that instructions will be given to shut down two nearby steel mills to reduce pollution.

She emphasized that burning waste, especially batteries or extracting lead from batteries, must not be allowed under any circumstances.

Local residents have long demanded the urgent removal of the landfill due to severe air pollution and called for immediate measures to stop waste incineration to protect public health.