A four-day fire at Dhaka’s Matuyail landfill has spread toxic smoke across the capital, triggering health fears and renewed criticism of Bangladesh’s waste management failures and methane buildup risks.
Residents report breathing problems as experts blame poor waste management and methane buildup.
A fire burning for four consecutive days at the Matuyail landfill, the largest waste disposal site in Bangladesh, has spread toxic smoke across large parts of the capital Dhaka, leaving residents struggling to breathe and raising fresh concerns over the country’s waste management system.
The landfill, operated by the Dhaka South City Corporation, is located in the eastern part of the city. Smoke from burning waste has spread across nearby areas including Demra, Konapara, Jatrabari and Jurain, with residents saying the fumes have reached as far as Motijheel, the capital’s main commercial district.
Local residents report breathing difficulties, eye irritation and a persistent burning smell in the air as thick smoke continues to blanket parts of the city.
Workers at the landfill said the fire started gradually several days ago and intensified last Friday. Heavy smoke was seen rising from piles of garbage during a visit to the site, with small fires still burning within layers of waste.
Monira Akter, a waste picker who works at the landfill, said she had been unable to work for several days because of the smoke.
“My eyes burn badly but I had to come today. If I miss a day of work I cannot earn enough to eat,” she said.
According to workers, waste had previously been burned at the site to reduce the volume of garbage, which may have contributed to the spread of the fire.
City authorities said steps have been taken to control the situation. The chief executive officer of the city corporation said methane gas accumulating inside the landfill likely triggered the fire. Methane is highly flammable and harmful to the environment, officials said, adding that efforts are underway to prevent the smoke from spreading further.
Authorities also acknowledged that Bangladesh still faces major challenges in modern waste management, particularly in separating waste at the source. Officials said an agreement has recently been signed with a Korean company to convert waste into resources, with work expected to begin within the next one to two months.
Residents in affected neighborhoods described severe conditions over the weekend, especially at night when the smoke thickened. Some said people struggled to breathe for nearly an hour as the smell of burning waste filled the air.
Posts and images shared on social media showed flames rising from the landfill and highlighted the difficulties faced by families, including children who could not remain indoors because of the toxic fumes.
Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to landfill smoke can cause respiratory problems, headaches and long-term health risks, particularly for children and elderly residents.
Environmental experts say the situation reflects deeper systemic problems. Professor Fahmida Parvin from the environmental science department at Jahangirnagar University described the uncontrolled burning of landfill waste as a serious environmental crime. She noted that similar incidents occur at the Aminbazar landfill and questioned claims that such fires start naturally.
According to her, in many developed countries organic and non-organic waste are separated at the household level, reducing methane buildup and preventing landfill fires. In Bangladesh however mixed waste is dumped together, leading to gas accumulation and repeated incidents.
Urban planner Dr Adil Muhammad Khan also criticized the authorities, saying poor governance and corruption in the waste sector have left residents facing pollution and health risks. He said that with proper systems in place waste could be converted into valuable resources instead of becoming a public health threat.
Experts say rapidly growing cities like Dhaka are producing more waste than existing systems can safely manage, increasing the risk of landfill fires and environmental pollution.
Residents say landfill fires and smoke have become a recurring problem in the area, especially during the winter season, but the scale of the current incident appears to be worse than in previous years.
Environmentalists warn that without urgent reforms similar incidents could continue to threaten public health in one of the world’s fastest growing megacities.
