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Apex Tannery Limited, one of Bangladesh's premier export-oriented leather processing conglomerates, on Sunday (September 27) evening formally commenced engineering work on a specialized Tk 12 crore advanced effluent treatment plant (ETP). Located at its industrial facility within the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate in Hemayetpur, the specialized biological wastewater treatment system is designed to treat over 2,500 cubic meters of toxic chemical runoff daily. The project is an indispensable strategic step toward obtaining prestigious international environmental accreditation required by premium Western footwear brands.
For years, Bangladesh's leather export sector has suffered severe market access bottlenecks in North America and the European Union due to the chronic dysfunction of the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) managed by the state industrial corporation at Savar. Despite the relocation of tanneries from Dhaka's Hazaribagh in 2017, the central treatment facility frequently overflowed during peak processing periods, discharging untreated chromium and organic sludge into the adjacent Dhaleshwari River. By constructing its own dedicated, state-of-the-art biological ETP, Apex Tannery aims to achieve total operational self-sufficiency.
The engineering layout of the newly initiated facility incorporates multi-stage anaerobic bio-reactors, advanced membrane filtration modules, and catalytic oxidation chambers that eliminate toxic chromium compounds and heavy metals from wastewater streams. The automated system will also include continuous online chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) sensors that transmit real-time water purity metrics directly to the Department of Environment's central monitoring dashboard.
Export market analysts observed that securing certification from the global Leather Working Group (LWG) is essential for local tanners to command premium prices and enter lucrative supply chains of luxury global fashion labels. Currently, Bangladeshi processed leather sells at a 30 to 40 percent discount on international markets compared to certified leather from India and Vietnam due to environmental compliance deficits. The successful commissioning of Apex's captive ETP will establish an industry benchmark for green manufacturing across the country.
Apex Tannery Managing Director MA Majed stated on Sunday night, "Investing in captive green infrastructure guarantees compliance with stringent European environmental standards and protects our river ecosystems from industrial pollution." He expressed confidence that the specialized plant will be fully commissioned within nine months, positioning the company to substantially expand its finished leather exports to high-end European markets. He urged the government to offer low-cost green financing incentives to encourage other tanneries to build dedicated effluent treatment units.
