Industrialisation in Bangladesh is increasingly constrained by river pollution, air quality deterioration and untreated waste, prompting experts at a high-level consultation in Dhaka to call for eco-industrial parks and a national framework to ensure sustainable growth.

They said that Bangladesh’s industrialisation has so far relied heavily on cost competitiveness rather than environmental resilience, and warned that without systemic reforms, industrial growth will soon hit ecological and economic limits.

The emergence of Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) offers a vital opportunity to reshape this model, as EIPs provide a structured framework to reverse these trends by embedding resource efficiency, circular economy practices, renewable energy and industrial symbiosis, where one firm’s waste becomes another’s input.

Speakers stressed the need for a coherent national EIP framework with a clear legal definition and minimum sustainability standards, incorporating criteria on energy, water, waste, emissions and social safeguards into park licensing processes across industrial zones.

The observations and recommendations came at a high-level stakeholder consultation held on Tuesday at a city hotel, organised to explore policy pathways for advancing EIPs in Bangladesh.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), together with Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), organised the event under the pilot initiative of Eco-Industrial Parks Light Touch Activities in Bangladesh, part of UNIDO’s Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP II).

The consultation brought together policymakers, industry representatives and development partners to discuss policy gaps, practical tools and pilot opportunities to promote resource-efficient and sustainable industrial growth in the country.

Speaking at the event, UNIDO Bangladesh Country Representative Zaki Uz Zaman said: ‘Bangladesh must prioritise eco-industrial parks with a strong focus on resource optimisation and industrial symbiosis.’

This, he said, will require an integrated policy framework and enhanced capacities across government and the private sector.

With support from partners such as the World Bank, IFC and ADB, and with greater involvement from international financial institutions, Bangladesh can replicate successful models such as Vietnam and move towards a more sustainable industrial future, he added.

Bangladesh Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTCCI) president Shams Mahmud said: ‘Eco-Industrial Parks provide a way forward by embedding resource efficiency, renewable energy use, and industrial symbiosis, where one company’s waste becomes another’s input.’

This approach can help Bangladesh attract ESG-driven investment and meet emerging global sustainability standards, he said, adding: ‘With Bangladesh’s upcoming LDC graduation, the need for comprehensive energy audits and accurate quantification—particularly for industries catering to the EU—has become a critical priority.’

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Deputy General Manager GM Rabbani Talukder said incentives for businesses must be highlighted in all policies.

‘We need a comprehensive guideline and policy framework for EIPs and issues surrounding compliance with environmental standards,’ he added.

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Director Md Tareq Hossain said there is currently a huge policy gap regarding these issues and that policies favouring eco-industrial parks are necessary to protect both businesses and the economy.