Bangladesh Eyes Turkish Waste-to-Energy, Leather Know-How
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir toured Istanbul facilities to seek Turkish technical cooperation on waste power and leather modernization.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Manufacturing
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Bangladesh Commerce and Industry Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir visited several facilities in Istanbul on November 4 and 5, 2026. The visits sought Turkish technical cooperation in waste-to-energy and leather industry modernization.
Why it matters
Bangladesh is looking to draw on Türkiye's experience generating electricity from urban and industrial waste and modernizing its leather industry. Adopting waste treatment technology could improve waste management in Bangladesh's cities, subject to local assessments.
The İSTAÇ plant processes 3,000 tonnes of household waste daily and has 85 megawatts of installed generation capacity. The Energram facility treats 33,000 tonnes of hazardous industrial waste annually with 5.6 megawatts installed, though no comparison to Bangladeshi capacity was provided.
The players
Khandakar Abdul Muktadir
Bangladesh's Commerce and Industry Minister, who led the delegation on the Istanbul visits to explore Turkish industrial cooperation.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
The municipal government of Istanbul, which operates the İSTAÇ waste incineration and power generation plant through its waste management framework.
The details
Muktadir visited the İSTAÇ waste incineration and power plant on November 4, the Istanbul Leather Organised Industrial Zone in Tuzla, and the Cevahir Leather Industry and Trade Company factory, where he observed raw hides being turned into finished leather. On November 5 he visited the Energram thermal disposal facility in Şile, which operates under a build-operate-transfer arrangement within İSTAÇ's waste framework.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: Minister visits the İSTAÇ plant, leather zone, and Cevahir factory in Istanbul.
November 5, 2026: Minister visits the Energram thermal disposal facility in Şile.
November 6, 2026: The Ministry of Commerce issues a press release about the visits.
Market Landscape
Bangladesh is seeking to adapt the build-operate-transfer arrangement used at Energram within İSTAÇ's integrated waste management framework to its own urban waste challenges. The visits frame Türkiye as a model for industrial and municipal waste-to-power projects in emerging manufacturing economies.
Any adoption of Turkish waste treatment technology in Bangladesh would depend on local assessments, so residents would see no immediate change from these visits alone. Cooperation in training and technology transfer could expand industrial employment if it moves forward.
The takeaway
Industrial cooperation between Bangladesh and Türkiye focuses on transferring proven waste-to-energy and leather processing methods. Any real-world impact will depend on whether these early discussions advance into formal agreements and funded projects.
Further reading
Explore more manufacturing industry coverage for context on industrial modernization efforts across global markets.
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