Bangladesh journo challenges proposed mosquito coil factory in residential area over environmental concerns

Residents and environmental advocates say repeated DoE findings should guide the decision, as the case raises questions over pollution risks, appeal processes and community rights.

A proposed mosquito coil factory in a residential neighbourhood of Narayanganj has triggered renewed environmental concerns ahead of an August 6 appeal hearing that residents fear could restore the project’s environmental clearance despite repeated investigations identifying the site as unsuitable for industrial use.

The dispute involves Sharmin Chemical Works, a mosquito coil manufacturer located in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj and highlights wider concerns over industrial expansion, environmental governance and regulatory oversight in Bangladesh.

Award-winning Bangladeshi journalist, poet and media consultant Shahnaz Munni, who is closely associated with the Internews Earth Journalism Network (EJN) has raised concerns over the proposed facility and called for an immediate halt to the project. Along with local residents and environmental advocates, she has opposed the proposed factory in Nayapur village of Sonargaon, an industrially active sub-district near Dhaka.

The case has drawn attention to Bangladesh’s environmental clearance system, particularly the role of appeal mechanisms that allow industrial projects to challenge regulatory decisions.

Residents fear pollution impact

Munni and community representatives said the proposed factory site is located in a densely populated residential area near a mosque, a temple and a women’s madrasa. They fear the facility could increase exposure to pollutants and affect public health in the surrounding community.

Environmental campaigners argue that mosquito coil manufacturing requires strict location controls and proper emission management because chemical production processes can contribute to air pollution and health risks if not adequately regulated.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday, Munni alleged that the Department of Environment (DoE) conducted nine separate investigations into the proposed site, and each identified the area as residential.

According to her, the investigations concluded that a mosquito coil factory could not legally be established there, leading the authorities to cancel the project’s site clearance.

However, she claimed that the company later obtained approval through an appeal process and that the approval was subsequently cancelled following further investigation. She said another appeal hearing scheduled for August 6 could result in the clearance being restored.

Veteran journalist raises environmental concerns

“After 30 years of covering other people’s press conferences as a journalist, I am now having to hold one for myself because I have become a victim of environmental injustice,” Munni said.

Munni, who has been involved in television journalism since its early days in Bangladesh and has authored 26 books across fiction, poetry, research and children’s literature, said she felt compelled to speak publicly because of concerns over the proposed industrial project.

Representatives from the local community joined the press conference, including Moinuddin Molla from the nearby mosque, Sadhan Saha from the local temple, and poet and environmental activist Shahed Kayes.

Nine DoE investigations cited

Residents first raised concerns over the factory’s location because of its proximity to homes and community institutions, according to Munni. The complaints prompted multiple investigations by the Department of Environment through its headquarters and regional offices.

“After receiving complaints from residents, the Department of Environment conducted repeated investigations through its headquarters and regional offices. All of these investigations identified the area as residential and found that a mosquito coil factory was not permitted under environmental regulations,” she said.

She questioned how decisions based on multiple investigations could potentially be reversed through a short appeal hearing.

“After nine investigations and detailed assessments by environmental authorities, how can such a decision be changed in a 15-minute hearing?” she asked, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in the environmental approval process.

Previous VAT enforcement action

The current environmental dispute comes after the company previously faced separate regulatory scrutiny over alleged VAT violations.

On September 10, 2020, a mobile team of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Intelligence Department intercepted a truck carrying mosquito coils in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, over allegations that goods were being transported without payment of applicable VAT.

According to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, officials stopped the vehicle in the Mizmizi area of Siddhirganj following a tip-off. Preliminary investigations found that the truck had departed from Sharmin Chemical Works and was heading towards Cumilla.

Authorities said a review of documents found that the goods were being transported without the required VAT payment. The operation resulted in the seizure of 144 cartons of Sonali brand mosquito coils along with a document officials described as a fake VAT challan.

The detained truck and goods were deposited with the Dhaka East VAT Commissionerate.

Moinul Khan, then Director General of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, said a VAT evasion case involving Tk 1.20 crore had previously been filed against Sharmin Chemical Works. Authorities said they were assessing the market value of the seized goods and the amount of alleged revenue loss before taking further legal action under the VAT Act.

Concerns over regulatory gaps

Munni alleged that influential groups were using regulatory gaps to obtain environmental approvals for industrial projects in unsuitable locations.

She also referred to an earlier case involving Imam Poultry Farm in the same area, which was closed under environmental regulations and later became a matter of litigation up to the High Court. She argued that approving another potentially polluting industrial facility in the same location would contradict previous environmental decisions.

The dispute reflects a broader challenge facing Bangladesh and other rapidly industrialising countries, where factories, residential settlements and regulatory systems often intersect, raising questions about how economic growth can be balanced with environmental protection and community rights.

Calls for stronger environmental oversight

Munni called for reforms to strengthen Bangladesh’s environmental governance system, including transforming the Department of Environment into an autonomous institution, replacing the ministry-level appeal board with an environmental court-based appeal mechanism, and rejecting the environmental clearance application of Sharmin Chemical Works in line with previous findings.

Residents and environmental campaigners said the case represents wider concerns about whether industrial development can take place without compromising the rights of communities living in vulnerable urban and semi-urban areas.

The Department of Environment and Sharmin Chemical Works could not immediately be reached for comments regarding the environmental allegations and the previous VAT enforcement action.

The case continues to draw attention as Bangladesh seeks to balance industrial growth, regulatory accountability and stronger environmental safeguards for communities.