Half of population lack access to quality toilets
Knowledge dissemination programme told
Around half of the population in Bangladesh lack access to hygienic, good quality toilets, said speakers at a programme yesterday.
They stressed that instead of setting up free but low quality toilets for poor people, focus should be given on promoting sanitation reform through affordable toilets that suit the local condition of the community.
The knowledge dissemination programme on sanitation marketing was organised by Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) of the World Bank at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
Though around 96 percent of people around Bangladesh have access to toilets, less than half of them have access to good quality toilets, said speakers.
"At current, free toilets are targeting the need for basic sanitation but we need to move from that to improved and comfortable sanitation facilities to ensure better health for people," said Rokeya Ahmed, water and sanitation specialist of WSP.
Sanitation marketing involves private entrepreneurs to produce multiple sanitation products at affordable costs for poor people, she said.
Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan, secretary of Local Government Division, said the government is planning to arrange soft loans with minimum interest rates for private entrepreneurs in the sanitation sector.
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