No more dirty toilets

With an aim to ensure hygienic practice in schools across the country, a campaign was launched to distribute 14,000 packs of toilet-cleaning products in 200 schools.

The campaign, titled “No More Dirty Toilet”, was inaugurated at Police Staff College in Dhaka yesterday.

Domex, a toilet-cleaning powder product of multinational corporation Unilever, is behind the initiative.

Speaking as chief guest, Md Tajul Islam, minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, said, “If students are taught the importance of good hygiene and sanitation, they will implement it at home and outside.”

Chief Engineer of Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Saifur Rahman said DPHE has made separate WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] blocks for male and female students in 34,000 primary schools so far, as part of their target to bring all schools under this coverage by 2025.

Addressing the programme, Imrul Kayes Muniruzzaman, acting country director of WaterAid Bangladesh, urged Unilever to step up efforts in waste management alongside sanitation.

Keder Lele, chief executive officer and managing director of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd said, “Bangladesh has created an exceptional example by ensuring access to toilets. But the problem is, toilets are not clean… Unilever wants to be a multi-stakeholder [to ensure hygienic toilets].”

Participants also took an oath to ensure cleanliness in all schools across the country.

Water Aid, Volunteer For Bangladesh, Narail Foundation and over 100 schools participated in the campaign.

Unicef calls to bridge gap

Meanwhile, Unicef Bangladesh in a press release yesterday said that 19 million Bangladeshi households need access to safely managed sanitation to achieve universal sanitation access by 2030.

There is a disparity in financial resources as well, as only 22 percent of total sanitation funds were spent in rural areas, while the remaining percentage went to urban areas.

“We must remove stigma and taboos around sanitation and accelerate efforts for marginalised people,” said the press release.