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General information |
Water
supply and sanitation in Bangladesh is characterized by a
number of achievements and challenges. The share of the population
with access to an improved water source was estimated at 98%
in 2004, a very high level for a low-income country. It gradually
emerged that 70 million people drank water which exceeds the
WHO guidelines of 10 microgram of arsenic per liter, and 30
million drank water containing more than the Bangladesh National
Standard of 50 microgram per liter, leading to chronic arsenic
poisoning. Sanitation faces its own set of challenges, with
only 39% of the population estimated to have had access to
adequate sanitation facilities in 2004. This is actually a
doubling of the 20% share in 1990. A new approach to improve
sanitation coverage in rural areas, the community-led total
sanitation concept that has been first introduced in Bangladesh,
is credited for having contributed significantly to the increase
in sanitation coverage since 2000.[11]
On the other hand, surface water is usually polluted and requires
treatment.[9] Taking arsenic contamination into account, it
was estimated that in 2004 still 74% of the population had
access to arsenic-free drinking water. Another challenge is
the low level of cost recovery due to low tariffs and poor
economic efficiency, especially in urban areas where revenues
from water sales do not even cover operating costs. In rural
areas, users contribute 34% of investment costs,[10] and at
least in piped water schemes supported by the Rural Development
Academy recover operating costs.
The government has adopted a number of policies to remedy
the challenges in the sector, including National Policies
for Safe Water Supply and Sanitation, both of 1998, a National
Water Policy of 1999, a National Water Management Plan, and
a National Policy for Arsenic Mitigation, both of 2004. Among
others, these policies emphasize decentralization, user participation,
the role of women, and "appropriate pricing rules".
The Arsenic Mitigation Policy gives "preference to surface
water over groundwater".[12] At the operational level,
there has also been a conceptual shift from single-use of
water - such as through handpumps for drinking water and motorized
deep tubewells for irrigation - to multiple use of water from
deep tubewells since the 1990s.
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Government Type |
| Parliamentary
Democracy |
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Capital |
| Dhaka |
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Geography and Climate |
Bangladesh
is in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges
Delta. This delta is formed by the confluence of the Ganges
(local name Padma or Pôdda), Brahmaputra (Jamuna or Jomuna),
and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. Straddling
the Tropic of Cancer, Bangladeshi climate is tropical with
a mild winter from October to March, a hot, humid summer from
March to June. A warm and humid monsoon season lasts from
June to October and supplies most of the country's rainfall.
Natural calamities, such as floods, tropical cyclones, tornadoes,
and tidal bores occur almost every year,[50] combined with
the effects of deforestation, soil degradation and erosion.
Cox's Bazar, south of the city of Chittagong, has a beach
that stretches uninterrupted over 120 kilometres (75 mi).
In September 1998, Bangladesh saw the most severe flooding
in modern world history. As the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna
spilt over and swallowed 300,000 houses, 9,700 kilometres
(6,027 mi) of road and 2,700 kilometres (1,678 mi) of embankment
1,000 people were killed and 30 million more were made homeless
with 135,000 cattle killed, 50 square kilometres (19.3 sq
mi) of land destroyed and 11,000 kilometres (6,835 mi) of
roads damaged or destroyed. Two-thirds of the country was
underwater. There were several reasons for the severity of
the flooding. Firstly, there were unusually high monsoon rains.
Secondly, the Himalayas shed off an equally unusually high
amount of melt water that year. Thirdly, trees that usually
would have intercept rain water had been cut down for firewood
or to make space for animals.
Bangladesh is now widely recognized to be one of the countries
most vulnerable to climate change. Natural hazards that come
from increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and tropical cyclones
are expected to increase as climate change, each seriously
affecting agriculture, water & food security, human health
and shelter. It is believed that in the coming decades the
rising sea level alone will create more than 20 million climate
refugees.
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Population |
Bangladesh
is one of the world's ten most populated countries and has
one of the highest population densities (about 2,100 people
per sq mi/810 people per sq km). The great majority of Bangladesh's
population is Bengali, although Biharis and several tribal
groups constitute significant minority communities. About
83% of the population is Sunni Muslim and 16% is Hindu. Bangla
(Bengali) is the nation's official language, and English is
used in urban centers. Bangladesh has a predominantly rural
population, with over 65% of the workforce engaged in agriculture.
There are several universities, including ones at Chittagong,
Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi. |
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Economy |
The
economy has grown 5-6% per year since 1996 despite political
instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient
power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms.
Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently
governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated
through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis
are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important
product. Bangladesh's growth was resilient during the 2008-09
global financial crisis and recession. Garment exports, totaling
$12.3 billion in FY09 and remittances from overseas Bangladeshis
totaling $9.7 billion in FY09 accounted for almost 25% of
GDP. |
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Member of South Asian Organizations
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Initiative towards WatSan |
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The Government of Bangladesh
has taken up an extensive program of “National Sanitation
Campaign” in order to ensure Government’s Commitment of
achieving 100% sanitation by the year 2010. In this regard
the month of October, each year has been declared Sanitation
month.
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Govt of Bangladesh hosted SACOSAN
(South Asian Conference on Sanitation), 2003 in October
in order to (i) assess the state of Sanitation & Hygiene,
sharing experience and lessons learnt in the region (ii)
raise the profile of Sanitation & Hygiene in South
Asia following WSSD (iii) generate political commitment
through a joint declaration and (iv) strengthen leadership/advocacy
for improved sanitation & hygiene in South Asia.
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Local Government Division of Ministry
of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
has allocated 20% of the Upazila (Sub-District) development
grant for improvement of sanitation. In this regard a
guidelines has been formulated for proper utilization
of the aforesaid grant. In case of City Corporations and
Municipalities, Government also earmarked 20% of the development
grant for improvement of sanitation.
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Task Forces/WatSan Committees with
definite terms of reference have been formed in the National,
City Corporations, District, Municipality, Upazila, Union
and ward levels to materialize the national sanitation
program.
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Local Government Division of Ministry
of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
has adopted a “National Sanitation strategy” to reach
the target.
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Local Government Division declared
additional development grants to Municipality/ Upazila
Parishad/Union Parishad and awards to head of those Local
Govt. Institutions for achieving 100% sanitation under
their jurisdiction. Up to September2006, 1211 no Union
Parishads, 95 no Upazila Parishads and 54 no Municipalities
have achieved 100% sanitation coverage.
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Local Government Division
of Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and
Cooperatives has adopted a policy to provide sanitary
latrine sets to “Hard-Core Poor” free of cost, who will
install the latrine set and construct its superstructure
of their own.
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Organizations Work For it |
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WatSan Coverage |
- Water Coverage at:
National Level: 80%
Rural Level: 78%
Urban Level: 85%
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- Sanitation Coverage at
National Level: 36%
Urban Level: 32%
Rural Level: 48%
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Technology used for Water Supply |
- Shallow tubewell & Convensional Deep-set
Hand Pump
- Tara handpump tubewell
- Pond sand filter
- Tara II handpump tubewell
- Shallow shrouded tubewell
- Pond sand filter
- Dug Well
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Technology used for Sanitation |
- Home-made hygienic latrine
- Water-seal latrine
- Offset latrine
- San-plat latrine
- Twin Pit Latrine
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