On July 13, 2023, the completion ceremony of the Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant (DSTP) project undertaken by POWERCHINA was held in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others attended the ceremony.
Sheikh Hasina praised at the ceremony, "The overall plan for wastewater management in Bangladesh began with the Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant (DSTP). It has played a significant role in improving the environment and water quality of multiple rivers. "
The Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant (DSTP) Project is an important component of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is not only the first and largest modern large-scale sewage treatment plant in Bangladesh, but also the largest single sewage treatment plant in South Asia so far.
This sewage treatment plant has been operational for over a year, and it can treat the domestic sewage produced by nearly 5 million people every day. It has significantly reduced the water pollution in downtown Dhaka and improved the quality of life of local people. During the construction of the project, it also created thousands of job opportunities for the local community and contributed to the local economy by procuring equipment and materials worth approximately 300 million yuan.
The villagers of Dasherkandi expressed their delight and gratitude for the operation of the Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant (DSTP): "Previously, the water here was black and dirty. Now we can swim in clean water," another villager added, "After the Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant (DSTP) was put into use, a lot of diseases have been curbed, such as mosquito bites, malaria, diarrhea, etc. Before the construction of the plant, many of us had no jobs, and many people were employed during the construction process. For us it’s a good thing, and I hope to benefit more in the future.”