Review 'real' progress in sanitation coverage
Speakers tell symposium
Staff Correspondent
The official figures indicate a spectacular increase in household sanitary coverage from 33.21 percent in 2003 to 81.47 percent in 2006, but it is time to review whether such progress was realistic, speakers at a symposium said yesterday.Terming sanitation an indicator of civilization, Prof Dr Md Mujibur Rahman of Buet said, "We have to be very honest regarding this issue." During his keynote presentation, he showed some recent photographs of hanging and unhygienic latrines in the city and said, "We claim to have achieved 85 percent sanitation coverage in the city, but in reality the figure is 42." NGO forum and ITN-Buet jointly organised the symposium titled 'Promotion of total sanitation' at the Council Bhaban of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet). Channel i and Bhorer Kagoj were the media partners of the symposium. LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser Mohammad Anwarul Iqbal said deficiencies in sanitation hinder the people's well-being in many ways. "Every year around 1,10,000 children under five die of diarrhoea due to lack of proper sanitation facilities. Besides, those who survive cannot grow well physically as well as mentally," he said. The discussants focused on the current scenario of sanitation in Bangladesh, the drawbacks and the ways to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of ensuring 100 percent sanitation coverage by 2010. Urging all concerned not to consider latrinisation as sanitation, Prof Dr Mujib highlighted the obstacles to ensuring proper sanitation facilities. He also stressed the need for community involvement in sanitation programme and said, "We must consider hydrogeological aspect before selecting any methods." Current sanitation practice in hilly areas with scarcity of water is not suitable, he said. At present, Bandarban with the coverage rate of 41.94 percent ranked lowest among the districts. He also stressed the need for proper monitoring of the sanitation activities and insisted on extending the sanitation initiatives beyond 'project-based' work. "Sanitation is a human right, but the bodies concerned are doing only project-based works, they are not self-motivated," he said. Prof Dr AMM Safiullah said water, sanitation, the environment and poverty are interlinked. Human waste pollutes water, soil and the environment and poor people become the victim of polluted environment, he said. Prof Md Abdur Rouf and SMA Rashid, executive director of NGO forum, also spoke at the symposium.
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