Sylhet to Be the First Plastic Pollution-Free City: LafargeHolcim Stands Beside Sylhet City Corporation

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC. (LHB) and Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) hosted a joint seminar titled "A Roadmap to Become a Plastic Pollution Free City" at the Rose View Hotel in Sylhet to on the occasion of celebrating ‘Geocycle Week 2026’ today.

The event brought together key government officials, environmentalists, academics, media representatives and youth leaders to establish an actionable strategy for sustainable urban waste management.

Abdul Quiyum Choudhury, Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation, Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, CEO, LHB, Muhammad Razaie Rafin Sarkar, CEO of Sylhet City Corporation, Shama Haque Chowdhury, Women Entrepreneur, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Director of DoE Sylhet and Shipon Chowdhury, DIG of DIFE Sylhet were the key discussants of the seminar.

The seminar started with an audio visual of Geocycle – the waste management wing of LHB followed by presentations by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Mohammad Eklim Abdeen, Chief Waste Management Officer of SCC and Latifur Rahman, Head of Geocycle.

A central highlight of the discussion was the progress made at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at Lalmatia Dumping Ground, which was jointly established by LHB and SCC in 2024 as the country's first state-of-the-art municipal waste and plastic segregation plant. Currently operating as a cornerstone of Sylhet's circular economy strategy, the facility continuously sorts and diverts non-biodegradable plastics from entering local landfills and waterways, routing them directly to Geocycle for safe co-processing. Building on this current operational success, LHB and SCC outlined plans for an upcoming bio-drying project. This upcoming technology will pre-treat and reduce moisture in municipal solid waste which will ensure effective plastic waste segregation.

Emphasizing the authority's commitment to urban sustainability, Abdul Quiyum Choudhury, Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation stated: "To transform Sylhet into a clean and green city, local government initiatives must align with strong community engagement and regulatory frameworks. Our vision is to build a plastic pollution-free city through strategic partnerships, modern infrastructure, and continuous public awareness."

Reaffirming the private sector's role in circular economy solutions, Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, shared: "At LafargeHolcim, we are deeply committed to driving sustainable growth and lowering carbon emissions across Bangladesh through Geocycle,

our waste management wing. Partnering with Sylhet City Corporation allows us to deploy safe co-processing capabilities that divert plastic waste from landfills and rivers, contributing directly to a cleaner environment and a better tomorrow."

Highlighting the municipal operational strategy, Muhammad Razaie Rafin Sarkar, CEO of Sylhet City Corporation, added: "Effective municipal solid waste management requires sustainable, long-term solutions tailored to our growing urban footprint. By collaborating with industry pioneers and leveraging modern waste management practices, Sylhet City Corporation is taking decisive steps to eliminate plastic waste from our streets and waterways."

Through Geocycle, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh continues to offer safe, eco-friendly co-processing solutions that reduce environmental impact and support zero-waste initiatives nationwide. The joint seminar concluded with a shared pledge between municipal authorities and corporate leadership to accelerate circular economy practices across the region.