SANITATION SCENARIO IN BANGLADESH
The global commitment of Johannesburg declaration 2002 is to achieve 50% coverage of the un-served population (2.40 Billion) with sanitation facilities by the year 2015.
Government of Bangladesh declared the target of achieving a state whereby every household in the nation will have a sanitary latrine by 2010. The target will be fulfilled in three phases by 2005, 2008 and 2010.
The Government Initiatives so far to achieve 100% Sanitation by 2010
- Local Government Division of the Government of Bangladesh carried out a nation-wide baseline sanitation Survey in 2003 involving govt. and Local government Institutions and acquired relevant information to prepare a comprehensive plan to achieve the sanitation target. The summary of the baseline survey is presented below :
Households with hygienic, unhygienic and no latrines
| Area/Region | Number of Households | Households with Hygienic Latrines (%) | Households with Unhygienic Latrines (%) | Total Households with Latrines (%) | Households With No Latrines (%) |
| National | 2,13,94,093 | 33.22 | 24.80 | 57.95 | 41.99 |
| Rural | 1,83,26,332 | 28.77 | 24.33 | 53.10 | 46.90 |
| Urban | 30,67,761 | 59.77 | 27.62 | 87.39 | 12.61 |
| City Corps. | 12,16,424 | 69.92 | 27.55 | 97.47 | 2.53 |
| Municipalities | 18,51,337 | 53.10 | 27.66 | 80.76 | 19.24 |
The reasons for not having a latrine
| Area/Region | Number of Households with No Latrines | Lack of Money (%) | Lack of Space (%) | Lack of Awareness (%) | Preference for Open Defecation (%) | Lack of Material(%) |
| National | 89,82,551 | 73.23 | 10.64 | 25.13 | 4.23 | 1.99 |
| Rural | 85,95,626 | 72.90 | 10.30 | 25.32 | 4.27 | 2.05 |
| Urban | 3,86,925 | 80.47 | 18.26 | 20.85 | 3.32 | 0.59 |
| City Corps. | 30,727 | 67.91 | 31.53 | 23.04 | 5.53 | 3.20 |
| Municipalities | 3,56,198 | 81.55 | 17.12 | 20.66 | 3.13 | 0.37 |
Respondents were free to cite more than one reasons
- The Government of Bangladesh has taken up an extensive program of “ National Sanitation Campaign” in order to ensure Government’s Commitment of achieving 100% sanitation by the year 2010. In this regard the month of October, each year has been declared Sanitation month.
- Govt of Bangladesh hosted SACOSAN (South Asian Conference on Sanitation), 2003 in October in order to (i) assess the state of Sanitation & Hygiene, sharing experience and lessons learnt in the region (ii) raise the profile of Sanitation & Hygiene in South Asia following WSSD (iii) generate political commitment through a joint declaration and (iv) strengthen leadership/advocacy for improved sanitation & hygiene in South Asia.
- Local Government Division of Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has allocated 20% of the Upazila (Sub-District) development grant for improvement of sanitation. In this regard a guidelines has been formulated for proper utilization of the aforesaid grant. In case of City Corporations and Municipalities, Government also earmarked 20% of the development grant for improvement of sanitation.
- Task Forces/WatSan Committees with definite terms of reference have been formed in the National, City Corporations, District, Municipality, Upazila, Union and ward levels to materialize the national sanitation program.
- Local Government Division of Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has adopted a “National Sanitation strategy” to reach the target.
- · Local Government Division declared additional development grants to Municipality/ Upazila Parishad/Union Parishad and awards to head of those Local Govt. Institutions for achieving 100% sanitation under their jurisdiction. Up to September2006, 1211 no Union Parishads, 95 no Upazila Parishads and 54 no Municipalities have achieved 100% sanitation coverage.
- Local Government Division of Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has adopted a policy to provide sanitary latrine sets to “Hard-Core Poor” free of cost, who will install the latrine set and construct its superstructure of their own.
