Bangladesh's first 'National WASH Accounts 2020' report shows that WASH sector expenditure was 2.18 percent of the total GDP of the country. Planning Minister M.A. Mannan on Sunday unveiled the 'National WASH Accounts 2020' report for the first time in Bangladesh to track overall spending trends in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector while Director General of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Mohammed Mizanur Rahman presided over the event. The report shows that Bangladesh spent an average of Tk 11,574 per household per year on WASH (i.e., Tk. 1,502 on water; Tk. 1,985 on sanitation; and Tk. 8,087 on hygiene) which is 4.3 percent of the citizens’ annual household income. Streets empty, vehicles burnt and vandalised in Dhaka as BNP-Jamaat observe hartal Distribution of household WASH expenditure by income found that households with low income and living in impoverished conditions in both urban and rural areas spent a large portion of their income on WASH. Planning minister M.A. Mannan reiterated the government's commitment to end poverty; ensure good health for all, gender equality; climate, nutrition and food security; decent employment and quality education as well as access to safe and affordable safe water and sanitation for all to achieve SDG 6 by 2030. He reassured that the government of Bangladesh is committed to making progress in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. He also said that as part of achieving the SDG, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics will continue to regularly update the 'National WASH Accounts' in the future to develop evidence-based planning and policies in the WASH sector as well as increase transparency and accountability in the WASH sector. Bus helper burnt to death as vehicle set on fire in Dhaka’s Demra Taking these data into consideration, all concerned including the government are expected to be able to take planning and funding initiatives to ensure safe water for disadvantaged people in cities and rural areas in the future, believed the participants of the event, he added. Secretary of Department of Statistics and Informatics Division Dr. Shahnaz Arefin highlighted that the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics under the Department of Statistics and Informatics Division will ensure required data and insights for policymakers, planners, researchers, educators and other stakeholders. Following the request of the Local Government Division, BBS and WaterAid Bangladesh with the technical support of WHO and UNICEF, successfully followed the 'TrackFin' guidelines for the first time to formulate the National WASH Accounts in Bangladesh for proper planning, policymaking and evidence-based development planning. Regional Director-South Asia, WaterAid Dr. Khairul Islam said that in order to face various challenges of proper planning of WASH sector, and to determine household-wise personal expenditure in National WASH Accounts, apart from taking primary data, institution-wise survey has also been conducted. Integrated 'National Wash Accounts' have been prepared by combining primary data with secondary data. Seminar on ‘Smart Grid: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Energy’ held in Dhaka Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh Hasin Jahan  expressed her strong optimism that through the formulation and adoption of National Wash Accounts, and the formulation and implementation of an integrated development plan by the government, relevant development partners, local government institutions, domestic and international development agencies can ensure universal WASH services. Focal Point and Deputy Director of the National Wash Accounts development programme of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Alamgir Hossen presented the main features of the 'National Wash Accounts 2020' report while additional secretary of Local Government Division Mustakim Billah Faruqui was also present as special guest in the publication event. Representatives from various public and private institutions and development aid organizations attended the program. In addition to academicians, researchers, journalists, there were officials from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and WaterAid Bangladesh.

Experts at an event Monday called for proper selection  of projects in the annual development plan (ADP) and the need for reducing inequalities in allocations for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects between urban and rural or hard-to-reach areas. They made the call in a pre-budget press conference hosted by WaterAid Bangladesh, Power and Participation Research Center (PPRC), FANSA-BD, FSM Network, Bangladesh Water Integrity Network, Sanitation and Water For All, End Water Poverty, MHM Platform, UNICEF and WASH Alliance International. An analysis by PPRC, in collaboration with WaterAid, found that allocation to the WASH sector was 5.44 percent (Tk14,517 crore) of total ADP (Tk266,793 crore) in the fiscal year (FY) 2021-22. The figure also shows WASH allocations in hard-to-reach areas fell drastically in FY22, with allocations for the areas being 72 percent below the level five years earlier in FY17. READ: Experts want THR in tobacco control plans The analysis also shows geographical inequality of WASH allocations remains significant, where cities and towns have received the highest percentage of the allocations compared to rural, char, hilly, and coastal areas in previous years. These under-developed areas' needs are higher than those in urban regions, and the upcoming budget must consider the acute needs of the marginalised pockets. "Bangladesh had remarkable success in achieving WASH-related MDG era targets with drinking water made available to 98 percent of the population and near eradication of open defecation. SDG era targets are more challenging with the focus on safe water and safely managed sanitation as well as under hygiene," Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, chairman of PPRC, said. "Although the inequitable spatial allocation has been repeatedly raised over the years, no change has been forthcoming."

The World Bank and Bangladesh on Tuesday signed a $200 million financing agreement to help 3.6 million people access hygienic sanitation facilities and about 600,000 people access clean water in rural areas.