City corporations in association with different non-governmental organizations will set up more modern public toilets in the capital city to ensure public toilet facilities here.
In order to reach public toilet facilities to the doorstep of millions of people and ensure public friendly sanitation system, more public toilet is needed in city corporation area, speakers at a meeting on Thursday said.
The speakers came up with the statement at a view-exchange meeting titled‘Public Toilet in Bangladesh: Scale up and Sustainability’ jointly organised by Water Aid and Bangla daily ‘Bhorer Kagoj’ at La Vita Banquet Hall of Lakeshore Hotel, Gulshan in the Capital.
In his speech, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam said, “Public toilet is very important for healthy living. When we go to relative’s house, we measure their cleanliness by their toilet quality.”
“DNCC have a plan set up 53 public toilets and 27 parks. We will also set up modern toilet in the park”, said Atiqul.
In his speech, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon said, “I have engaged with the public toilet programme directly. In last five years, with the help of Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Chittagong, Sylhet city corporations and Dhaka WASA, a new dimension has been added in public toilet culture. We want to establish more public toilet to reach toilet facilities in the doorstep of millions of city people.”
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said to build more modern public toilets in CNG, Fuel station and Highway restaurant area.
Managing Director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) Engr TaqsemA Khan said, “The number of Public toilet is much less than requirement.This is high time to set up more public toilet. Dhaka WASA will give their pump area to set up more 30 to 40 public toilet.”
In order to ensure better management, the management of those toilets should be given to the third party, WASA MD added.Water Aid country director Khairul Islam said, “In last five years, about 31 public toilets have been built through a project titled ‘Sunrise’, leaded by city corporations and supported by Water Aid. Those public toilets have been used more than nine million times.”
Among others, Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Islam Chowdhury, Khulna Development Authority Chairman Brigadier General ASM Mahmood Hasan, Water Aid Chief Executive Officer Cecilia Chettergy Martinson were also present in the programme.