Dhaka, Bangladesh (CU)_ The World Bank and government of Bangladesh signed a $200 million finance contract yesterday to provide hygienic sanitation facilities to over 3.6 million people and clean water to nearly 600,000 people living in the rural areas of the country.
Fatima Yasmin, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division of the Government of Bangladesh, and Mercy Tembon, Director of the World Bank for Bangladesh and Bhutan, signed the agreement on Tuesday. Mercy Tembon spoke about the importance of hygiene practices. He said, “Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices are key for ensuring better health and building human capital”.
The World Bank press release reported that the Rural Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) for Human Capital Development project would enhance water and sanitation facilities of rural areas located in 78 Upazilas that cover the divisions of Sylhet, Chattogram, Rangpur, and Mymensingh. To improve water and sanitation services, it will offer microloan facilities to both families and business people. Of the poorest families, approximately 309,000 households will be provided with completely subsidized toilets. It will also build about 3,000 community piped water systems in addition to the household water connections.
In jam-packed public areas like markets, railway stations and bus stops, the project plans to build around 312 public toilets and 2,514 hand-washing stations. Around 1,280 neighborhood hospitals both for patients and medical purposes will be renovated or provided with new facilities. The project would also immediately resolve high-priority water and sanitation needs emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic.
