An approach for the use of agricultural by-products through a biorefinery in Bangladesh

The global need for developing renewable, sustainable, biomaterials, biochemicals and biofuels continues to grow along with increasing worldwide desire to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. An appealing source for bio-based products is lignocellulosic resources, which are abundant, low cost, and are often a by-product of food production (mainly rice). This paper gives an approach for bio-based product development in Bangladesh by analyzing i) a comprehensive inventory of agricultural and lignocellulosic wastes, ii) the characteristics of these wastes, and iii) suitable methods for producing bio-based products. It is proposed that a cooperative society be set up amongst the rice producing farmers and communities. Entrepreneurs would collaborate with this cooperative society to implement the approach, and biorefinery plants could be established in different parts of the country based on the amount of available agricultural wastes in specific areas. As forest area is very limited and population density is very high in Bangladesh, wood resources cannot be utilized in biofuel, biochemicals and biomaterials production in the country, making agricultural by-products the only real option available.