Australia Awards South and West Asia

Australia Awards alumna Dilruba Farzana’s journey from witnessing the environmental challenges of waste management in Bangladesh to becoming a leader in sustainable waste management practices is a testament to her dedication to creating lasting change. As a civil servant of the Government of Bangladesh with 17 years of experience within the Department of Public Health Engineering, she has worked extensively on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and waste management across the rural and urban areas of Bangladesh.

Early in her career, Dilruba witnessed the severe consequences of poor waste management in urban Bangladesh, such as plastic waste blocking drainage systems, causing floods and spreading disease, which disproportionately affected low-income and marginalised communities. These experiences ignited her passion for environmental sustainability and inspired her to oversee the Department of Public Health Engineering’s ‘Inclusive and Integrated Sanitation and Hygiene Project in 10 Priority Towns in Bangladesh’ (the 10 Towns Project), supported by the Government of Bangladesh and the Islamic Development Bank.

As the Deputy Project Director of the 10 Towns Project, Dilruba is coordinating transformative initiatives in Cumilla, Narshingdi, Lakshmipur, Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore, Jamalpur, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Shariatpur. The project focuses on establishing integrated waste management systems, with a strong emphasis on addressing the escalating challenge of plastic waste. Under the guidance of the Project Director and with Dilruba’s facilitation, the initiative is formalising and strengthening the informal plastic recycling sector by building capacity in the sector, particularly by empowering women entrepreneurs to play a greater role in recycling businesses. She is also monitoring critical infrastructure interventions aimed at converting waste into energy, advancing sustainable and circular solutions that benefit both the environment and local economies.

Dilruba (centre) with traditional female waste workers in Cumilla’s waste dumping zone, contributing to transforming plastic waste into valuable resources—empowering women through meaningful work, enhanced safety, and new business opportunities, while reducing environmental pollution.

With the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship, Dilruba completed a Master of Engineering in Water Resource Management at the University of South Australia in 2022, specialising in environmental planning, water conservation and flood drainage systems. Her thesis, which explored the impact of urban waste congestion on flood drainage systems, deepened her understanding of the intersection between waste management, public health and environmental sustainability.

In 2025, Dilruba attended the Australia Awards Regional Alumni Workshop in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where she shared her work on WASH and waste management interventions, emphasising the positive effects on urban poor, women and marginalised groups. She also highlighted efforts to institutionalise waste worker services, including plastic waste management, promoting dignity and sustainability.

Leveraging her Australian education, Dilruba has expanded her expertise beyond traditional waste management to foster new economic opportunities. She advocates for data-driven decision-making in sanitation and waste management, promoting the transformation of waste into valuable resources. By empowering women throughout the entire municipal waste management service chain—including recycling enterprises—and by supporting service providers with improved infrastructure, capacity-building initiatives, innovative business models and effective enforcement mechanisms, she is helping transform discarded materials into valuable economic assets. This approach not only fosters sustainable infrastructure development but also drives job creation and inclusive growth within the community, thereby helping transform lives too.

Dilruba (fourth from right) pictured with other Bangladeshi alumni, officials from the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh and the Australia Awards – Bangladesh team during her participation at the 2025 Regional Alumni Workshop.

Dilruba credits her Australia Awards experience for shaping her career. “The Australia Awards Scholarship provided me with the tools to turn my passion into action. It gave me not only academic knowledge but also a broader perspective on how we can address environmental challenges through innovation and collaboration,” she says.

Back in Bangladesh, she has applied this knowledge to oversee impactful waste management projects and forge strong partnerships with local government institutions and non-government organisations to raise awareness about plastic pollution. Her efforts have not only motivated but also empowered communities to adopt sustainable practices, resulting in significant reductions in plastic waste in urban areas. Dilruba’s expertise spans the entire solid waste service chain—from collection and transportation to treatment and reuse—strengthening municipal capacities and ensuring solutions reach the most vulnerable populations.

Inspired by Australia’s progressive waste management models, she emphasises shifting the mindset from “collect and dump” to viewing waste as a valuable resource. Through her work, Dilruba demonstrates that environmental challenges can be catalysts for innovation, economic growth and positive social change.

Dilruba (far right) receiving a plaque for organising the first Women Engineers Chapter seminar on ‘Empowering Women Engineers: Overcoming Barriers and Shaping the Future of Bangladesh’ in the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

Reflecting on her journey, Dilruba shares a powerful message for World Environment Day 2025: “Ending environmental pollution starts with each of us. Whether you are an engineer, a policymaker or a community member, your actions matter,” she says. “Let’s work together to build a cleaner, healthier world for future generations.”

Dilruba is not only leading in sustainable waste management—she is also breaking gender barriers in a field traditionally dominated by men. Working in non-traditional sectors like sanitation engineering and waste infrastructure, she brings visibility and strength to spaces that are often male-centric. Her work challenges stereotypes and paves the way for greater gender diversity in technical and public service roles.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dilruba is committed to mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders, especially women engineers. As Vice-Chairman of the Women Engineers Chapter of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, she fosters collaborations and discussions on women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability.

Dilruba’s ongoing efforts continue to inspire visible change in Bangladesh, advocating for a sustainable future for all.